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!

¡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

I wanted to share the letter I wrote to President Bulloch.

We’ve been having some pretty difficult days where our appointments have all fallen through, and I’m not going to say it wasn’t difficult. Especially so since we’ve been working hard every day these past weeks to become “misioneros de exito” [missionaries of success] and not just working hard and being exactly obedient, but going the second mile, hablando con TODOS [talking with ALL] testifying of the truths of the restored Gospel, exercising at 6:30 am on preparation day, etc.

Yesterday all eight of our lessons fell through, however we contacted in the street, knocked doors, asked for and contacted references, even visited part member families… and at the end of the day—nothing. It was frustrating and I thought maybe we’ll go eat tacos or I’ll go to bed early, I was a little discouraged and ready find a little comfort in something.

After a comment my companion made, I remembered part of the letter I wrote myself: “Trials come that they may prepare you for the blessings or spiritual experiences you are working for. After the blessings come trials, that we may be prepared to receive again greater blessings.” As missionaries, we teach every day that one of our purposes in life is to be tried, to prove to the Lord that we are really His children. Isn’t it the same as missionaries? Now I know it. If we are obedient, working hard and love the people when everything goes well, great! Who doesn’t? However, I believe it’s when everything goes wrong yet we still give our best, that determines if we are truly “misioneros de exito” and representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know that the Lord has great blessing in store for me, blessings that He cannot give if I don’t pass the test. I’m going to do it!

-Elder Packer

mmmmmmmmmmm… Happy happy birthday Isaac, and Spencer, and Kristi! I hope you all had a special day! January is just a happy month full of birthdays in our family. And I’m sure it will be even more so since I plan on having 12 children, which means it very probable that at least one of them will be born in January.

Kerry, how’s it back in Peru? ¡Escríbeme! y dígame ¿como estas? Quiero saber que está pasando con mi carnal, que son sus planes. [Write me! and tell me how are you? I want to know what is happening with my family, what are your plans?]

How’s the pregnancy going Kristi? You were looking pretty big in the picture you sent me a few weeks ago! When is your delivery date?

Emily, that’s unfortunate to here that your offer was one upped, that’s okay though, it just means that there’s something better. Keep up the search!

So, the training with Elder Cambria continues to go well; he is learning fast. It’s always a little hard to be in a trio, however I have two of the best companions possible so it’s gone rather well. The work is progressing in our area and we have been spending the whole day in the area on Fridays which has helped us to keep focused on why we are here.

Yesterday we went on divisions with one of our converts, Jerry, who was baptized about 5 months ago and is excited to serve a mission. All of the appointments that we had fell through so Jerry got to learn a little about how missionary work is hard.

I know that this work is hard, however I am excited to be able to go back into the field and work all day long! One of the reminders I wrote myself in the letter I received from myself last week was to stay focused and continue working throughout the last months and days of my mission, because there are specific things that the Lord has prepared for me to accomplish during the remainder of my mission, and I know if I don’t accomplish them, I will regret it forever. And regret is one of the worst feelings possible, so I think I’ll do without thank you.

Have a great week! I love you all!

-Bryce