¡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

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

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

Well today and tomorrow are Independence day in Mexico, so I have to be in the house by 6pm. We spent the morning cutting the grass in our very small back yard. It was good. On Wednesday we had a combined zone conference where we learned about positive affirmations in the mission from the church psychologist for all of Mexico. Affirmations are amazing.

[Tanda] I had asked Bryce some more questions (in italics). His answers follow.

Where in Mexico is your companion from?
San Louis… its north of here

Was he born in the church or is he a convert?
born a member

How many are in his family?
he has 2 brothers and 2 sisters he is the oldest

How well do you get along?
We are getting along very well (it is a process and a choice)

What is your daily schedule like?
leave the house at 11, work, eat with a member at 2ish, work, return at 9

What do you usually eat?
corn tortillas, soup, pasta, rice, tacos, enchiladas, etc; the tacos, etc. are very different here

Is the money you get enough to cover your expenses if you are careful?
yes, I am getting very good at budgeting

How is the Spanish coming?
poco a poco [little by little]

Have you taught any lessons in Spanish yet?
every day now, whether they understand what I am trying to say…?

What is the ward like where you meet?
very small …its a Ward

Have you had to speak or pray in Spanish at the church yet?
I spoke two weeks ago …every 3rd Sunday is mission Sunday

What is the Mexico City temple like?
it’s closed for remodeling, it will be rededicated in November I think on the 16th… the Prophet will be here!

Are the Mountains rough like the Rockies or more like the ones in the east?
Kind of in the middle, lots of volcanic rock, the mountains are big

Is the area desert or green? You said it rained a lot, but the pictures I saw on line looked like it was very rocky and dry?
its green, but there are rocky and earthy parts too

Are you happy?
I choose to be every day

Oh, Edwana Klaasesz accused me of having your face again. It’s a great face, I’m glad that we share it!
I AGREE! however I have your face, you had it first.

Well I’ve got to go. Love you all very much and thanks for all of your emails!

Bryce

Hola familia,

So because I am delayed I got a new schedule which is the same as the field schedule in Mexico. During our proselytizing time, aka whole day, we are in the Referral Center and I have two pretty solid investigators already. Also my preparation day was moved to Wed. which is why you didn’t get an email yesterday. The RC is great I’ve been able to teach quite a few people so far… plus its easier because its mostly in English. This morning we found out we got our permisos [permits/visas], so I should be leaving for Mexico any day… expect a phone call.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your wonderful letters and your packages you have been spoiling me. Thanks mom and dad for the food the cupcakes were great! and for the CD dad. I can not believe you made that website. It is incredible. It looks amazing. [Shayne sent Bryce a printed copy of this blog.] All of the other missionaries are jealous and said to tell you, you can make them one too. Also Kristi thanks so so much I just got your package today, I dig the tie and the coin is sweet I’ll carry it everywhere plus the food ¡hay carumba! Thanks also for the last package from Emily and Kristi with all the cool pictures from the kids and the ridiculously amazing food. You guys are over kill. Thanks Heather for your many letters and tell Colby and Miles thanks for there awesome drawings of Wall-E and George of the jungle. I’ll try to write you all soon, but I’ve got little time and a whole lot of packing!

…oh yea please tell the young men and the leaders [in the ward] thanks for the letters and that all is great, I got my visa and that Seth better start preparing for his mission.

Thanks soo soo much, I love you all and you’re in my prayers!

Bryce

Hola me familia ¿Como estan? ¿Como le va?

So I’m supposed to be in Mexico in 6 days! however the visa thing isn’t looking too well. All is well what ever happens though!… maybe I’ll get to see the Manns when Justin comes in next week.

So a typical day for me starts between 5:45 and 6:30 depending on my schedule for the day. I have three 1 hour study blocks personal study (spent studying the scriptures, my patriarch blessing, and writing talks), companion study (usually spent practicing teaching lessons and reviewing principles in Preach My Gospel) and language study (grammar, looking up vocab for words I’ve been trying to say,translating question and principles for lessons, translating talks,etc.) as well as some Missionary Directed time to study what ever I need the most that day.

Sorry if my spelling has gotten even worse, because it is so easy to spell in Spanish and its got me a little confused!

So a lot of days I try to speak only in Spanish, but for the last week(s) I am only speaking in Spanish. It will be more of a challenge and I know it will help a lot.

I have gym five days a week for 50 min. (every day except preparation day [today] and sunday) and we have 4.5-5 hours of classroom instruction split between our two teacher Hno. Sáncheznd Hna. Mears. Preparation days I get to go to the Temple except today, because it is closed for cleaning, also every Tuesday night we have a Devotional, usually be a member of the Quorum of the 70. Everyone in the CCM looks forward to this! sunday nights we have a fireside as well which is usually a little more casual.

On the forth we had a special fireside where we played songs on chimes made from pipes it was neat w/ 3000 missionaries. Then we watched the BYU fire works from the parking lot, they were neat with my glasses off : ) Oh I don’t know if I mentioned my companion is District Leader so we have stuff to do with that. AHH my computer time is up. I love you all every much…I’ll try to write a letter today if I have more time. Thank you all for your letters.

Love you,

Bryce