So…I’m still in Provo. Friday the consulate for Mexico stopped seeing people, because he was mad that parents kept calling him, so he put everything on hold. We just found out yesterday 10 of the 60 delayed Elders are going to Salt Lake tomorrow to get visas, the rest are going to be reassigned to Utah missions for 3 weeks or so. I’m one of the lucky 10, so I will probably be flying out Monday. 7 of the 10 Elders in my district are getting reassigned, but they’re happy just to be getting out of the MTC… so look forward to a call soon everybody [family]!

Well, I finally saw Elder Justin Mann 3 or 4 times now [cousin]. He is looking sharp and was excited to get out to New Jersey. I think he left yesterday. Also, you’ll never guess who I saw yesterday… Elder Gregory Pavone [from N.H.]. Ha ha ha I hardly recognized him. He was actually the one that saw me and stopped me. He is doing really well; just got in last week and says the MTC is a bit of an adjustment. He has been going to a military school in Maryland and is serving a mission in Korea! It was a really big surprise to see him and it made my day, even more than getting my visa. Elder Pavone also said Devin Burns [from N.H.] is serving in Africa.

Oh yea Dad, guess what my [second] cousin [John Reed] from Queen Creek, AZ, who is going my same mission is best friends with Elder Solomon, one of my really good friends in my district who is going to the Mexico City West Mission. He showed me a picture of him, small world. Thanks every one for the letters… Mom I can’t believe you made that stationary it is the sweetest. Kerry hang in there bro while your family is in Peru! Wish I could write more, I’ve got more packing to do. Next week it will be from Mexico!

I Love you all very much!

Elder Bryce Packer

Himno [of the week]: 159 Con valor marchemos (Onward Christian Soldiers)

Quote [of the week]: “Don’t think about what you’re doing, think about what you’re becoming.”
- I really like this quote because it can be applied in many ways. One is to be conscious of the consequences of your actions or who you become as a result of your decisions, and another (the context I heard it in) is to persevere and keep the end result in mind, every day you work towards your goal, you are that much closer to becoming what you desire to be.

El himno por este semana es #146, “Tengo gozo en mi alma hoy” [The hymn for this week is #146, "There is Joy in My Soul Today"] y the quote is “obedience simplifies, sin complicates”. Hope your all working on your Spanish, set a small goal of what to learn every day!

I mailed a short letter earlier so you should get it in a few days. I hope things are going great and look forward to hearing from you all.

Love you all very much!

Bryce

Hola everyone,

I just mailed letters, but I want to let you know all is well. Things are going great, the Manns should be here tomorrow I’m going to try and find them. [Bryce's cousin Justin Mann is going into the MTC.]

So I’ve been thinking you guys have a Spanish Himno [Hymn] book and that you should sing in Spanish for family home evenings, I’ll send you the name of one of my favorites every week. Ceci can help you guys out with this, they are so beautiful and help to learn Spanish. This weeks is himno #42 “Jesus es mi Luz” [Jesus is my Light]. I hope you enjoy it!

We had an amazing fireside on Sunday about repentance, how it is the best gift made possible by the Atonement and how it shouldn’t be a bad or negative thing that we need to feel sorry but that we should enjoy repentance and repent often. As taught in Mosiah 4:5-7, repentance should be motivated by the goodness of God. This has helped me to have a new outlook on our ability to change and be forgiven. In fact, the original Greek and Hebrew words for to repent mean “to turn” “to have a change of mind: a fresh outlook about God, oneself and the world”.

Well time is up. Thank you all so much.

Love you,

Elder Bryce Packer