Hola querida familia! Hello dear family!

Wow it’s been a busy busy amazing week! We had our Zone leaders council meeting this week in the mission house; it was over the course of two days. One of the most spiritual and amazing things that happened during the council is we studied the Book of Mormon together with President Bulloch. He was one of the 7 head people in CES [Church Educational System] before he was called to be a Mission President, so to say the least he is a very spiritual man who really knows his scriptures, how to ring them dry and apply them to himself. Something I have been trying to work on.

I just bought the new Bible in Spanish, which is really exciting for the members here. Although I don’t know how much I’ll use it since we try to focus on the Book of Mormon with all of our investigators. Still it truly is an amazing time to be here in Mexico serving the Lord and building His kingdom! “Now is the time for Mexico” is what the brethren of the church have been saying.

I love you all so very much, I am so grateful that we have the Restored Gospel to guide our lives. I know that Christ lives, I have experienced His profound love in my life. He is the only way to true freedom and that is what everyone really wants and needs! Live a week that worth living. May God’s grace be upon every one of us!

-Bryce

[Editor's note: The family got to have a phone call with Bryce on Mother's Day. Each person got to take a turn asking Bryce questions while the others listened.]

Hola. Era maravillosa para hablar con ustedes ayer! En verdad estoy un poco triste que va a ser hasta Diciembre cuando podemos hablar otra vez. ¡Ni modo!

Cuidense mucho. ¡Les Amo muchísimo!

Elder Packer

Hello. It was wonderful to talk with you yesterday! In truth, I am a little sad that it will be December when we can talk again. Oh well!

Take care. I love you very much!

Elder Packer

[A fast note]

Bueno tuvimos otro bautismo esta semana y tenemos dos por la siguiente!!! El bautismos era una muchacha se llama Laura que estaba viviendo con un miembro. :/ Entonces tuve mi primer matrimonio en la misión. Y como testigo ellos ponen un nombre falso por mi porque soy gringo entonces yo firme Gerardo Lopez Salazar como 6 veces! Bienvenidos a Mexico!

Mil disculpes no tengo mas tiempo. Todavía estamos en proceso de cambiar la casa, etc.

Les amo tanto!
Bryce

Well, we had another baptisms this week and have two more for next week!!! One of the baptisms was a girl named Laura who was living with a member. :/ And I had my first marriage on my mission. [Some couples just live together in common law marriages but they must be legally married before baptism, so the missionaries usually help with this process.] I was one of the witnesses but I had to put a false name because I am a gringo, so I signed my name as Gerardo Lopez Salazar like six times. Welcome to Mexico!

A thousand apologies but I am out of time. We are still process of changing houses, etc.

Love you lots.
Bryce

[Tacos al pastor yummm. You want to learn Spanish? I hope so!]

¡Hola mi bonita familia!

Todo esta muy bien aquí. yo y mi compañero están trabajando duro y tuvimos nuestra primer bautismo ayer. voy escribir todo de esta carta en español para ser chistoso y ayudarles aprender y sentir mas como siento diario. suave ¿si?

Bueno hoy cambiamos nuestra apartamento porque el apartamento interior era bien chafa (¡este es Mexicano) si la luz esta pirateado con una cable y era muy baja… pero el nuevo es chidicimo!!! (mas Mexicano) entonces por el momento estamos muy contentos. Este semana tuvimos nuestra conferencia de zona y entrevistas con el Presidente, que siempre me gusta. Después la conferencia compramos (la zona) 15 kilos de tacos al pastor. estaba llenísimo!

Algo raro que paso aquí es el templo (capilla) de Los Testigos de Jehová es en el mismo calle de nosotros, son copiones. y mucho de gente aquí nos confunden con ellos.

Tuvimos discursos en la semana pasada y en este semana voy a empezar a dar clases de Ingles en la capilla en los miércoles en las 7 pm. ojalá todo va a ser bien porque nuca di clases antes, sin embargo estoy animado!!!

Bueno ya es tiempo! Ojalá ustedes disfruten este carta y no están confundidos o enojados …muchas gracias por sus cartas! ¡Les amo muchísimo!

con amor
-Elder Packer

…Oh, también recibo su paquete de mi cumpleaños (en 26 papa, pero no tu carta) muchísimos gracias por todo!! encanta todo! espero que voy a recibir el paquete de Kristi de navidad pero no creo. también recibí una carta de navidad de la Familia Smith y El Obispo Arnold. Gracias eran muy bonitas.

[The following was translated by Kerry in its entirety, except for a couple of slang words, which Cecilia figured out.]

Hello my beautiful family!

Everything is very good here. Me and my companion are working hard and we had our first baptism yesterday. I am going to write all of this letter in Spanish to be funny and to help you all to learn and feel more of how I feel every day. Cool huh?

Well, today we changed our apartment because the inside of our other apartment was ghetto, yeah, the light was pirated from another apartment with a cable and was hanging really low… But our new apartment is sweet!!! So, for now we are very content. This week we had our zone conference and our interviews with the President, which is always a pleasure. After the conference the whole zone bought 15 kilos of Tacos al pastor. I was super full!

Something strange here is that the chapel of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is on the same street as our chapel, they are copycats. And many people confuse us with them.

We had some discussions last week and this week I am going to begin to give classes for English as a second language at the church on Wednesdays at 7 pm. I hope that everything will be okay because I have never given English classes before, although I am excited!!!

Well, that’s time! I hope that you all enjoyed the letter and that you are not confused or upset. Thank you very much for your letters. I love them very much!

With love,
Elder Packer

…Oh, also I received your birthday package (on the 26th, but not your card, dad). Thank you very much for everything. I loved everything! I hope that I receive Kristi’s Christmas package, but I don’t think so. Also, I received a Christmas card from the Smith family and Bishop Arnold. Thanks, they were very beautiful.

Hello Family

English really doesn’t make sense, however I like it anyway (except when it comes to spelling, by the way I am a great speller in spanish)! So I don’t know what is going on as far as calling you all. Another missionary said we can talk for an hour and that I will call you real quick with the phone number to call (probably of a member’s house) and then you will call that number back. And it might be cheaper too for you to use a calling card? We will find out everything on the 17th when we go to Mexico City.  We are going to have a reunion with the Mission President and go through a temple session (which I am really excited for). I am afraid however that I will fall a sleep because we have to wake up at 3 am to go to Mexico City :/ because of traffic. Then we are also going to eat fillet minion in the Temple for an early Christmas dinner mmmm… real steak! Our preparation day is changed to the 24th so I will give you all the details then… and that might be the day we call too?

All is well here, it was a little tough the last week because it was the celebration of the Virgin Guadeloupe, which is a really big deal. Every day large groups on bikes, walking and in cars, trucks, tractor trailers (with framed pictures and statues of the Virgin Mary strapped to the front and sides) have been on a pilgrimage to a specific church in Mexico City.  So it was a little crazy the last week and people haven’t been too receptive to us because of the other religious events going on. Good news, however an old investigator who disappeared several months ago has returned (we were sure they had changed houses). It turns out that they were in Mexico City with their family for a while (3 months?). All of our plans fell through last night and we had nothing. We were searching everywhere and were close to this house, I had the feeling to go by and there they were, just returning that night with their suitcases and all. They were happy to see us and we had a short lesson to end the day. Pretty neat.

Well we’ve got work to do. I love you all so much and I am extremely excited to be able to talk to you all.

Bryce

¡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