¡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!

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

Hola Familia,

Well, it’s been another eventful and busy week (just like I like them). Among the many things that have happened are: First, we received 12 new missionaries on Monday and spent the day training them. Tuesday was the big changes [transfers] meeting; all went well with the busses so I was relaxed. I also bought new pillows for all of the missionaries, so they were really happy to receive those.

On Thursday, we moved the assistant’s house to Ixtapaluca (which is really far away) then closed and opened two houses. So I was driving and hauling all day. During this long travel we experienced a miracle as I almost got into a serious car wreck, however I don’t know how, we did not wreck with the car who abruptly stopped in front of us, or flip the van, or hit the bridge, or run over a man selling food in the street… all of which almost happened. I thank you all for your prayers and know that, YES, the Lord is protecting us!

Thursday I completed 20 months in the mission! And that’s helped me realize we need to be wise how we use it. The same day I got a letter I wrote myself on the 16 of July 2008 (18 months to the day). I wrote it in the MTC and my instructor mailed it to me. It’s pretty interesting! And if I can later, I will share some of it with all of you.

The other thing that happened is because of some special changes that need to be made. I received my replacement as Financial Secretary! It’s Elder Cambria from Philadelphia, PA. He’s a really excellent and humorous missionary! So that’s going to be exciting! In 5 weeks I’ll be out in the field full time again!

Well, last and best of all is we have a baptismal service today at 5 pm, His name is Gerardo and he is a miracle conversion… he used to be an Evangelist preacher, and is a very knowledgeable, but sincere and humble follower of Christ. I am grateful to have been able to be part of his conversion!

I love you all and thank you for your love and support! May the Lord continue to bless and protect you!

-Elder Packer

Well this is going to be a short one as I’ve been trying to prepare a small package to send you all for Christmas.

First of all the Christmas call… you can call me on the 25th in the morning at my office number. I’ll confirm the time with you next week.

I’m sick with a sinus/throat infection, however it hasn’t been too strong.

This week was our Christmas conference and we got to enter into the temple with President and Sister Bulloch. It was AMAZING. I learned and forgot so many things, not having entered since a year ago. I love the temple.

The mission Christmas conference was split into two days, so I was in charge of organizing the transportation for the parts of the mission that are a little far, like Pachuca. I also rented rooms in the CCM (MTC in Mexico). Then the President asked if I could spend the night to make sure that everything went over well. 64 Elders and 11 Sister missionaries for a Christmas sleepover. Yah, you can imagine—it was a night.

Oh, I also finally bought a new suit! It was a really good deal and is great quality.

Well I love you all and you are in my prayers…talk to you soon!

-Bryce

Good morning my family,

I hope you are all doing well and are happy. Christmas time is coming soon and with it a new financial year… so I’m really busy making lots of reports and closing out the finances for the year. I got a letter from Heather and a package for the family, however I haven’t had a moment to look at them.

I went to the airport on Sunday night to pick up a missionary and I spent the night with Elder Fillerup (the assistant), because his companion finished his mission two days before. One Monday we picked up the other new missionaries from the C.C.M. (MTC in Mexico) and then spent hours in traffic going to the mission home. We trained the new missionaries, and the next day in changes meeting we received a new companion (Elder Lopez Hernandez) to replace me. Just kidding, to replace Elder Lechuga (the Visas secretary). I knew before hand, because I make all the financial changes, like who gets the rent, etc. ahead of time so I usually know what’s going to happen with the changes a few days before. However, all my companions were surprised.

We also had the Zone Leaders council yesterday, it went really well. I’ve been getting the feeling that I’m going to be in the offices for a long time. But that’s okay. I am learning lots and working hard. It really makes me treasure the time I have to proselyte.

I’m really excited to get to talk with all of you at Christmas time! I keep forgetting that it’s coming so soon.

I love you all!
-Elder Packer