Bryce’s parents maintain this website for him while he is on his mission in Mexico City.

When Bryce sends digital photos home, we add a page to his online photo albums. His photos are in albums—one for each of the areas where he has served. There is also an album of the movies he has made. We have just added more photo albums. The current albums are:

• Mission Prep
• MTC (Mission Training Center)
• Pachuca (first area)
• Chimalhuacán (Ciudad Alegre)
• Mission Office (as financial secretary)
• Movies (last 3 areas)

Bryce will soon be transferred to his final area in Feb. 2010. When that happens, we will add an album for it.

Click here to see Bryce’s latest mission photos albums. You can always get to his photos by clicking on “Mission Photo Albums” on the right sidebar.

When Bryce writes letters or emails, we add a blog post. [Our editorial comments are enclosed in square brackets.]

- Shayne Packer (Bryce’s father)

It’s been a crazy week. Where to start? They had a three day multi-stake youth activity here and me and my companion went to help one of the days. The coolest thing is I saw two of my converts from Pachuca and three of my converts here went, too!

Okay this will probably be short, SORRY. However I have to finish packing and visit all of our converts today.

Wahoo! I have changes [transfers]. My zone leaders told me at about 4:30 pm yesterday, however I thought they were joking and still didn’t know who had changes yet, then right as I hung up with them the Mission President called me (which isn’t too often) telling me that the zone leaders were going to call me and tell me had changes, then my heart almost stopped as I prepared myself to hear that I wasn’t going to have changes, however he hold my that he was calling me to tell me that I was going to have changes and to tell me what I would be doing (which he normally doesn’t do). He said that the Lord wants me to be the Financial Secretary for the mission and that it is one of the most trusted positions in the mission, that I will be handling the funds of the mission, and that it is by far the person who works closest to the Mission President (even more that the assistants). He said it is something that will help to prepare me for a life time of church service and that he wanted me to keep this confidential until he announces it tomorrow (but that I could tell my family.

I have to say that wasn’t a call I was expecting. :/ However, I am super excited. I don’t know all I will be doing, but I think my area is in Mexico City which is cool because that’s where I wanted to go. Before, when I was in Pachuca, I told everyone when they asked me that I wanted to come to Chimalhuacán… and that’s where I am and have been for the past half year… so I guess I need to be really thoughtful of what I want, because it seams to become reality. Amazing how these things work out, huh? Well, I’ve got lots to do! I love you all very much, you are all in my thoughts and prayers, and I thank you for you prayers and support!

Les Amor! [love]
- Elder Packer

The two photos are of the leadership training about a month ago. (I am standing next to my cousin Elder Reed, on my right, in the brown suit).

Buenas tardes. ¿como estan? [Good afternoon. How are you?]

All is well here. We got moved in okay, although there is still some organizing to do. It rains and is cloudy some of the time, but the majority of the day is super hot and it drains so much energy. Our apartment is nice, it’s a little smaller that the last but thats okay. Its above little store that our landlord owns which sells medicinal herbs, so sometimes it smells funny, but the nice part is he keeps lots of plants so the common areas are really beautiful. I’m sorry I have no idea what to write, my brain is kind of shot at the moment.

I love you all.

Bryce

¡Feliz cumpleaños! Dad. [Happy birthday] I hope you are having a great time! …And happy anniversary dad and mom! That’s awesome, 33 1/3 years! How many amazing things have you two accomplished together in all that time?

It just started raining, which is really good because it has been super hot today… partially because we left the house early this morning to climb a hill in our area called “Chimalhuachi”. It took us an hour from our house to the top, however it was awesome. We could see the Federal District (México City) and a bunch of other neat stuff.

Afterwards we packed and moved our apartments AGAIN… I don’t know if I told you but one of the landlord’s relatives are coming from the US, and he asked us the favor of trying to find a new place to rent, so yea. But that’s okay, with almost 6 months here a change is nice. I think we’ve talked at least twice with everyone that lives somewhat close to us. So it will also give us more work! Plus its much cheeper where we changed to.

Anyways with all of the days activities I am quite tired and would love a nice long nap … yea right. I’ve been thinking that if the day of rest is very seven days, 1/7 of 2 years is 4 months, so I can hibernate when I get back. Kidding.

I just read that last little bit of your letter mom, when I was printing it out and it’s funny what you wrote… “The summer is flying by but it hasn’t been as bad going to school and working as I thought it would been. I guess leisure time is overrated. One gets much more satisfaction from accomplishments with small amounts of leisure.” …Because about three weeks ago I wrote in one of my journals something similar about relaxation. More or less that true relaxation doesn’t come from being idle (or doing “nothing”) but from changing from one activity (work) to another, however idleness conduces sin. I guess great minds do think alike, and at the same time!

Well, we better get back to unpacking and settling in.

I love you all! Have a great week!

-Elder Packer

Hey Kerry, ¡porque no me escibes en español? ¡pudia ser MAS chido mi cuate! te amo! … y no pongas pretextos de no escribir me!

Hey everyone,

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life! I hope everyone took some time to reflect on and give thanks for the amazing and wonderful country we live in. … I do every day.

Things in Mexico are well, we cleaned the house for the first time in over a month. I think and it needed it! Several frogs have gotten into our house and we don’t know how…. there are lots of frogs now with all the rain we’ve been having.

Yesterday we had a nice baptism; her name is Fatima Zepeda. She’s been coming to church for a while because her older sister, Rosa, is a member, who found the church in Chili while she was living there for a year.

Yesterday were the political elections here and I am so happy they are over!!! They are nuts; they pay people for 2 months to drive around with banners on their cars and megaphones strapped to the top playing the jingles of all the political candidates… that’s not to mention there are at least 8 major political parties here. They also paint their signs on the walls of the houses and buildings along most of the streets and post banners and stickers and give dispenses of food, clothing, hats, bags and any other thing you can think of. One of them in particular is Jesus Tolentino representing the “PRI” party, and I always have his song stuck in my head… “…Mas calles pavimentadas, agua potable, drenages tambien. Chimalhuacan votara para ti Tolentino…” [More paved roads, potable water, drainage, too. Chimalhuacan voted for you Tolentino.] I guess where ever you go politicians are the same.

I really like it here, mainly because of the people (because it’s not a very pretty place). However, I feel like I’ve worked about everywhere possible, and next cycle a change would be nice, however we’ll see what happens.

I love you all! Have a great week!

-Bryce

First things first… ¡Feliz cumpleaños a Emily! [Happy birthday to Emily] I hope that it will be a great one! I know as an adult they’re not the same, but for me I enjoy reflecting on all the things that have past… and you have more of a past to reflect on than I do. he he he I love you, Emily.

This week has been well, I had a reunion on Thursday at the temple for mission leaders, which happens every 6 months. It was great. I went with Elder King and Elder Galiana and my companion worked with the missionaries in our district for the day. So there was only about 35 missionaries there and one of the area authorities came and spoke to us as well as the mission President, the director of the visitors center and the assistants to the Pres. I was also asked by the visitors center Director to share about the open house we held last month in our church and how we baptized one of the families that came and 2 other families came to church several times and went to the visitors center in the D.F. It is the only visitors center in Mexico and Latin America, so the area authorities are working to try and help us take advantage of this great missionary tool we have in our mission.

Elder Carbara, who spoke to us in this meeting gave a great example about repentance and how sometimes we grow accustomed to bad habits we need to change. Ex. Have you ever walked into a house where there was a little bit of gas leaking? You can notice the strong smell instantly, however if you stay in its presence your senses grow accustomed and you stop noticing the smell. When we allow ourselves to stop doing thing we should (like praying sincerely, taking the time to study the scriptures every day and enjoying it, going to church, etc.) we grow accustomed and stop recognizing that there is a problem. However, just because the gas is no longer smelt doesn’t mean that the hazard isn’t real, in fact with more time the gas collects more potent and is all the more dangerous. Is there anything that you can change in your life? Yes… of course there is! What are 5 of them? The first step to repentance (a sincere change) is to RECOGNIZE there is something wrong.

I pray that we can all better our lives by “awakening our senses” and looking for the things we need to change, and doing it. Repentance and change is one of the most spiritual experiences we can have. God is happy when we repent, we are happy when we repent, He will help us, the sacrifice of Jesus enables us to change. Without repentance we cannot accept nor apply His sacrifice in our lives. I know that repentance is necessary for our personal progress and is made possible through Jesus Christ!

I love you all so must and am truly grateful you are my family!

-Bryce