¿Quen sabe donde estoy? [Who knows where I am?]

Entonces ¡cambios eran un poco loco! [So transfers were a little crazy!]

So I am in Ciudad Alegre (friendly city) which is in Chimalhuacán in the state of Mexico in the outskirts of Mexico [City]. It is very different here, however that is good! There a lots of people and guess what… they whitewashed [two new Elders] our area so both me and my new companion Elder Tadeo have no idea where we are! The first day we got here we walked from our house to the church to figure out where it was and where to invite people. The second day I had a leadership training and the rest of the day we pirated, that is we were working out side of our area or in the area of other missionaries. Oh well, it’s been fun learning and being lost together.

[Editorial note: Bryce is now a district leader, after being in Mexico for only 6 months.]

Our district is a newly formed district too, so thats another new thing to learn. So the real bad thing that happened, as a leader I get a cellphone right and my second day I lost it in a taxi! Sorry I think it’s $30 and I have to pay for a new one, however I think we will be able to accomplish a lot more with a phone.

My companion is great; he is from Oaxaca, y se una persona muy buen [and is a very good person]. We were in the same district my first cycle and he is also from my same generation.

Okay well there is much to be done. We are going to try to go into the city to get my new cell and a fridge (because we don’t have one right now). I love you all so much and look forward to reading your letters, thanks for always writing!

Love Bryce

[As always, you can contact Bryce using the methods on the Current Address page.] 

A sigh of relief that this week is over!  We had a great baptismal service yesterday for a family of five, they are amazing and already have a very strong conversion. I think the father will end up being a bishop! … By the way dad I am trying to type with my hands on the home keys, its kind of funny.

Okay, so last night I found out that I have transfers tomorrow, I don’t know to where, however, we have to be in Mexico [City] at 1 pm and I am going to be a District leader. Pretty crazy huh? I am excited to have a change and I am less than a week short of completing a half year in this area.

A new companion will be nice too, however, I will miss Elder Nuñez! So today is all busy, busy packing and visiting all of our converts here. By the way, no I haven’t received the package from Kristi or you yet, however tomorrow is when all the mail comes.

Yesterday one of our converts gave me one of his homemade hand-painted didgeridoos (the instrument from Australia). It is sweet! He made it from a plant called “maguey” which is like a large aloe vera plant that they use here to make funky moonshine and they also fry and eat the grubs/maggots that live inside. They call them called “chinicuilis” yum… So I’ve been practicing with my new instrument. It will interesting to see how I will end up transporting it seeing as it is around 1.5 meters [about 5 ft] long. That’s okay remember the time I brought an arm chair on the airplane? I’m sure this will be easier!

Ahhh, I am going to miss the people here so much!!! Oh by the way because of transfers I won’t be able to mail the DVDs of photos till next week. I am glad to here everyone is doing well …and that everything is getting resolved Heather! Oh yea I got to spend some time with  Parley (Horacio) Valdez, the childhood friend of Spencer, who claims he taught him how to ride a bike, ¿Is that true Spencer? any ways he is a really neat person and he wants to get in touch with you Spencer, don’t worry he speaks prefect english, actually he is an english teacher… The first time I met him I thought he was a gringo.

I can write more in less time which is good, so I guess this is the way to go.

I love you all so much and thank you all for your love and support.

Elder Packer

¡Feliz Cumpleaños Mama! [Happy Birthday Mama]

Perdón por la semana pasada, el Internet no servia… no tengo la culpa [Forgive me for last week there was no internet service....it is not my fault] ¡La casa abierta fue increíble y la programa cultural en El Estadio Azteca también! [The Temple open house, dedication was incredible so was the cultural event at the Aztec stadium] I’m sure thats enough Spanish, so we sang “Somos Hoy Llamados” (“Called To Serve” in Spanish) and part of “We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet”. We weren’t allowed to take pictures but that okay because we are going to receive a DVD of the program and I will mail home a copy.

Things are going well in our area and with my companion. We have a baptismal service next week for a family (well a mother and 4 of her children) Mireya Sanchez, Brenda, Axel and I don’t remember the name of the other two :/ WE had a Zone conference last week with Elder Grow (who is an area authority) and Pres. Bulloch. It was great and I learned a lot. So WE didn’t have transfers this cycle…which is good. Elder King, my roommate from the MTC, is my new zone leader. They don’t celebrate Thanksgiving and actually I forgot all about it, however I hope everyone has a great time! That’s great that so many of you will be together! I’m going to avoid thinking too much about that otherwise I’ll wish I was there too!

What are you doing for your birthday mom? Are you going to be in Heather’s? I hope it is great and not too hectic. Give every one hugs for me …and tell them all to give you spankings for me!!!

I love you so much, you are all in my thoughts and prayer, and I am so grateful for everything you are all doing for me and the Lord!

Love Bryce

Hello all,

All is going great here… it was really rough the first couple of days this week transitioning from being trained to being a trainer. My new companion is Elder Nuñez from Tuxpan, Veracruz. Mexico. He is great! We are both excited and working really hard, we had a baptism Sunday but it fell through. :/ Besides that we have lots of new investigators who are really great. We made a really hard goal of contacting every person and its amazing how the Lord has put the people in our area in our path and is helping us to keep our goals and find the people ready to receive the Restored Gospel. We had an activity today with our zone and it took a really long time. I still haven’t been able to send the CDs of picture, sorry! Well, we have lots of work to do. Have a great week!

I love you all so much!

Bryce

Dad, Thanks for writing me every week, I really enjoy ready your letters. You are such a great dad and granddad, I admire you so much for your sacrifices for all of us. General Conference was great! …I have some exciting news, that I’ll tell you in the letter to everyone. Well I’ll right more in my letter to all. I love you very much Dad, and I’m grateful you are my father! Have a great week and… EXERCISE!

Love Elder Bryce

¡Hola mi familia maravillosa! [Hello my marvelous family]

¡Conferencia General fue increíble! ¿no? I wasn’t able to attend all of the sessions but I saw part of the first in Spanish and the last two in English I was able to understand more or less the message in Spanish but really enjoy hearing the voices of the leaders. The night before conference I was reading the discourses by Pres. Monson from April, titled “Treasures of Eternal Value”. I really liked two things he said —

“Success is the progressive realization of a WORTHY ideal” [Earl Nightingale]

“Preparation is hard work but absolutely necessary for our progress” and “This is the day of our opportunity…” [Thomas S. Monson]

I find it interesting and very important to note and ponder on the fact the he gave practically the same discourses twice in a row… maybe that means it’s important …and we didn’t get it the first time or are miss something. Both, I thought, were wonderful. He focused on GRATITUDE and the perception and use of time. I believe both to play a large role in our happiness and well-being. I also enjoyed and learned a lot from all of the other talks given, and unlike when a child, I listened intently!

Sooo… Tomorrow is transfers and my companion/trainer is being transferred and… I am going to be a trainer. It’s hard to believe I have less than 2 months in the field. I am every excited/nervous! Well, we have a lot to do.

I love you all so much and am grateful for your love and sacrifices for me and each other… we really are the best family.

Elder Packer

[Editorial note by Shayne: A trainer means training a new "greeny" missionary. Being assigned as a trainer after 2 months means Bryce must an amazing missionary; doing everything right. I've never heard of this so soon.]

Mi queriodo familia, [my dear family]

¿Como estan todos? [How are you all today?] All is well here it was very cold this morning and it very hot right now…the sun is strong, and I am very red as I am told almost every day. Thanks you all for your letters it has been nice to come home at night and lay in my bed reading them.

I had fun yesterday dragging one of our investigators out of bed for church …He was kind of sick, but that’s okay. I am really looking forward to General Conference next Sunday, especially for our investigators to have the opportunities to hear the Prophet speak. I hope I will be able to understand it in Spanish. The work is going well here and I am really getting to know the area and the people. Next week is transfers I hope I am still here, although I’m sure I will be because my trainer has been here for 7 months.

As for your questions… I got the letters form Nick and Bishop, please tell them thank you and that all is well… and I will write them if I ever get a chance. I also got a dearelder [letter] from you, Kerry and Dad. I think, they were all from a month ago… so I guess it takes 4-5 weeks to get them because I am so far from Mexico City. Thanks though I really enjoyed reading them. I copied my pictures to CD and will be mailing them next week! Oh yea, I got the picture of Kerry and Isabella…¡carumba [wow] she is cute! Please, get my proxy ballot for the election… ¿By the way when is it and who is everyone voting for and why?

Wow, Mom tell Margaret and the Hurts congratulations for me! That’s awesome!

¡Santa Vaca! [Holy Cow] Kerry you got $2,100 for you car! That’s unreal. What a week Kerry. I’m glad to hear you are okay… and that your Spanish is improving. I am loosing my English and it is hard for me to remember how to say very common things… also to form full sentences, so if this is all jumbled you know why. Yes, I also find I have to concentrate a lot when listening to conversations, especially because Mexicans use a lot of slang and have 7 words for one thing. 

I email from an internet cafe a few blocks from my house. It’s about time I love you all and look forward to hearing from all of you.

Love Bryce