Quick letter to my family… sorry there is not much time…

Well, this has been an interesting week and a very exhausting one. We finally got a map of our area and our are is huge. I am sure its one of the biggest in the mission. They will be dividing our stake soon which has 12 very large wards, and I am sure when they do they will divide our area as well.

So some of the Elders in my district did something dumb and one of them got sent home, and the other transfered so right now our district is combined with another district until the next transfers, and seeing as I don’t have a district right now, I won’t be getting a cell phone again until the next cycle [transfers]. We also are guarding the empty apartment. Lots of fun.

A mariachi band is playing right outside the door, we’re not sure why but this month is full of festivals here in Chimalhuacán and there are fire works every hour, dancers in the street, and lots of festivals.

The work is going okay we have our first baptism this Sunday, which will be nice. My companion is neat and we are learning how to work together & live together, which is always a challenge!

Well once again time is up, so until next week…

I love you.

-Bryce

Oh yea thanks everyone for your letters and birthday wishes!

¿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