¡Hola mi bella familia! [Hello my beautiful family!]

Our area is going well, despite opposition. I feel like our companionship is strong and well. We have been working hard to keep our teaching pool full of investigators, elect investigators.

This week, Marcela is going to be baptized and she is a miracle! Her husband, Fernando, was baptized a year ago and because of it they have been separated for the past year, however we had been teaching her daughter, Fernanda, and she was baptized last week (by her father). During her baptismal preparations her mother was present, even though she wanted nothing to do with the church previously. The spirit has worked with her and a week and a half ago she asked if she too could be baptized. Her husband who has been a faithful and active member since his baptism last year will be preforming the ordinance. This is a hard work, but it makes it all worth it!

I am sad that I will be leaving this area and the people here behind! However I am very excited to have the opportunity to work all day long teaching the Gospel!

I hope you are all doing great and staying warm in all the snow you’ve been getting! I’m sure you haven’t left the house much, but make sure to be safe driving!

All my love!
-Elder Packer

We’ve been having a great week and have been really blessed. It’s been raining a lot (and we’ve been having lots of challenges like I wrote last week), however we’ve been working hard and being obedient to do our part with faith that the Lord would do His, and that’s what’s been happening. I know that difficulties mean blessings are close if we keep our faith.

Today we have a baptism and we have two for next week (one of which will be completing a family) and in the weeks to come we have several families that will be getting baptized. I feel so blessed to share the joy these people have, now that they have embraced the restored gospel. I can see the changes in their faces daily. I pray that we can all continue in our adversities with faith and patience!

I love you all and thank you for your prayers, I need them!

-Elder Packer

Hola Familia,

Well, it’s been another eventful and busy week (just like I like them). Among the many things that have happened are: First, we received 12 new missionaries on Monday and spent the day training them. Tuesday was the big changes [transfers] meeting; all went well with the busses so I was relaxed. I also bought new pillows for all of the missionaries, so they were really happy to receive those.

On Thursday, we moved the assistant’s house to Ixtapaluca (which is really far away) then closed and opened two houses. So I was driving and hauling all day. During this long travel we experienced a miracle as I almost got into a serious car wreck, however I don’t know how, we did not wreck with the car who abruptly stopped in front of us, or flip the van, or hit the bridge, or run over a man selling food in the street… all of which almost happened. I thank you all for your prayers and know that, YES, the Lord is protecting us!

Thursday I completed 20 months in the mission! And that’s helped me realize we need to be wise how we use it. The same day I got a letter I wrote myself on the 16 of July 2008 (18 months to the day). I wrote it in the MTC and my instructor mailed it to me. It’s pretty interesting! And if I can later, I will share some of it with all of you.

The other thing that happened is because of some special changes that need to be made. I received my replacement as Financial Secretary! It’s Elder Cambria from Philadelphia, PA. He’s a really excellent and humorous missionary! So that’s going to be exciting! In 5 weeks I’ll be out in the field full time again!

Well, last and best of all is we have a baptismal service today at 5 pm, His name is Gerardo and he is a miracle conversion… he used to be an Evangelist preacher, and is a very knowledgeable, but sincere and humble follower of Christ. I am grateful to have been able to be part of his conversion!

I love you all and thank you for your love and support! May the Lord continue to bless and protect you!

-Elder Packer

Duh duh duh duh! Happy birthday Kerry! How old are you now? Wow you’re a geezer! … It’s a good thing I’m still a young’un! How does it feel to be 27? It feels a lot more, huh? … in your back, neck, and possibly even your knees. No really, I can’t believe your 27, that’s almost 30. Soon you’re going to be bald, but that’s okay, I’ll be bald with you!

My companions call me “ruco” because I’m older (actually they call us “rucos” because Elder Lauterio is 24 as well) But that’s okay… I really do feel the difference though!

Well, I hope that you all had an opportunity to do the activity I sent, and are working to complete the goals established. As we focus on what is most important, with a specific desired result, the actions we must make every day become clearer, easier and more meaningful. And that’s a blessing in such a diluted world that has yet to realize its purpose.

As I’m sure we have all realized in one way or another, the time is short, and even more so when filled with activities whose end result is undefined or unestablished. We must cherish our time by planning what is desired, then acting. By doing so we will be able accomplish great things in short periods of time, filling the time we have been given with fond memories and events, which will have contributed to the development of our personal success and happiness as well as that of them whom we serve.

I love serving as a missionary and all the challenges that includes! I am grateful for the blessings I have received and the services I have been able to provide. I am proud of the person I have been able to become through the Lord’s help and by diligently living His Gospel. Elder Lauterio and I have been having great success in the last few weeks and have had two great baptisms and more on the way.

I love you all and pray that God be with you!
-Bryce

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

[translated below]

Hola mi bella familia,

Esta semana  fue excelente, y ocupadísima Ya como saben los fines del ciclo son mucho pero mucho trabajo por los secretarios. Aparte, mi compañero Elder Muñoz ya terminó su misión ayer y yo le dejé en el aeropuerto, entonces solo tengo un compañero Elder Lauterio, quien es buenísimo.

Tuvimos dos bautismos muy buenos en domingo de José Carlos y Sergi Miguel. Vamos a poder más en nuestra área este ciclo, y ¡estoy tan animado por eso!

Estoy bien y de buena salud y muy muy feliz. Todavía estoy aprendiendo como ser mas organizado y diligente y como amar y servir mas. ¡Estoy muy agradecido ser un misionero! y reconozco que el tiempo es tan precioso y corto.

Perdóname, porque la carta es cortita. ¡La chamba esta pesada ahorita!

¡¡¡Les amo muchísimo!!!

Hello my beautiful family,

This week was excellent, and as you know, already terribly busy. The cycle [transfer] ended, which make much more work for the secretaries. Besides, my companion, Elder Munoz, finished his mission yesterday and I left him at the airport. So I only have one companion now, Elder Lauterio, who is very good.

We had two very good baptisms Sunday, Sergi Jose Carlos and Miguel. We will still be in our area this cycle and I am so excited about that!

I am well and healthy and very happy. I’m still learning how to be more organized, and diligent and to love and serve more. I am very grateful to be a missionary! I acknowledge that time is so precious and short.

Forgive me, because the letter is short. The work is heavy right now!

I love you so much!