So, everything went well as far as receiving and training the 16 new Elders and sisters that came into our mission this week and the transfers meeting (of which I was in charge of arranging the bus transportation for the whole mission). It has been a weeeeeeeeeeek! We haven’t had a lack of rain either! Actually, the highway and streets have flooded almost every day and has caused so much TRAFFIC!!!! The other day I was driving in traffic and we found out it was caused by protesters in the street (protesting for water). Pretty ironic since it was raining. So anyway, because of that we got home that night at 12:15 am. :/

Well, here is the email I sent to President Bulloch last week. I also wanted you to read it.

What a week! As you know we’ve been all over the mission: opening houses, arranging the buses, going to the airport… While driving, I had a whole lot of excess time to think and reflect. While doing so, I remembered earlier in my youth how I almost constantly felt lost spiritually and emotionally. I didn’t understand so many of the questions that many youth seem to have and remember feeling so much confusion and bitterness towards life. I also remember when the desire began to want to make a positive difference, but not knowing how, which in turn created feelings of helplessness and discouragement. None of those feelings exist anymore and I know when the turning point happened, a little before my 22 birthday when I started reading The Book of Mormon for the first time. I remember after reading for the first time a strong doubt, could this be true? Reading once lead me to read again, which lead me to pray (for the first time in my adolescent life). A little time after and I began attending church, every Sunday. I began attending institute, where we were studying The Book of Mormon. The more I studied that book the more I began to comprehend and consequently my life began to change and fall in harmony. I began to create a relationship With my Father in Heaven and Savior. All of those feelings and doubts began to fade from my life.

When my mother and brother asked me what made me come back to the church, I couldn’t explain, I just told them I knew it was right. Now I know it was a result of reading The Book of Mormon, feeling the spirit and the love of God contained within, finding the answers I longed for. That’s what made me come unto Christ; that’s what began and continues the change in my life. The fruit of the word of God. That book is a miracle and I have lived many miracles because of that book. It is because of The Book of Mormon that I know to what source I may look for a remission of my sins. And nothing brings greater peace and joy than that.

I love every one of you and all of you individually are in my prayers. I know that God also loves you and through the Book of Mormon he will bless each of your lives in profound ways. It was written for each one of us and our individual needs. STUDY it prayerfully every day!

Love -Elder Bryce S. Packer

First things first… ¡Feliz cumpleaños a Emily! [Happy birthday to Emily] I hope that it will be a great one! I know as an adult they’re not the same, but for me I enjoy reflecting on all the things that have past… and you have more of a past to reflect on than I do. he he he I love you, Emily.

This week has been well, I had a reunion on Thursday at the temple for mission leaders, which happens every 6 months. It was great. I went with Elder King and Elder Galiana and my companion worked with the missionaries in our district for the day. So there was only about 35 missionaries there and one of the area authorities came and spoke to us as well as the mission President, the director of the visitors center and the assistants to the Pres. I was also asked by the visitors center Director to share about the open house we held last month in our church and how we baptized one of the families that came and 2 other families came to church several times and went to the visitors center in the D.F. It is the only visitors center in Mexico and Latin America, so the area authorities are working to try and help us take advantage of this great missionary tool we have in our mission.

Elder Carbara, who spoke to us in this meeting gave a great example about repentance and how sometimes we grow accustomed to bad habits we need to change. Ex. Have you ever walked into a house where there was a little bit of gas leaking? You can notice the strong smell instantly, however if you stay in its presence your senses grow accustomed and you stop noticing the smell. When we allow ourselves to stop doing thing we should (like praying sincerely, taking the time to study the scriptures every day and enjoying it, going to church, etc.) we grow accustomed and stop recognizing that there is a problem. However, just because the gas is no longer smelt doesn’t mean that the hazard isn’t real, in fact with more time the gas collects more potent and is all the more dangerous. Is there anything that you can change in your life? Yes… of course there is! What are 5 of them? The first step to repentance (a sincere change) is to RECOGNIZE there is something wrong.

I pray that we can all better our lives by “awakening our senses” and looking for the things we need to change, and doing it. Repentance and change is one of the most spiritual experiences we can have. God is happy when we repent, we are happy when we repent, He will help us, the sacrifice of Jesus enables us to change. Without repentance we cannot accept nor apply His sacrifice in our lives. I know that repentance is necessary for our personal progress and is made possible through Jesus Christ!

I love you all so must and am truly grateful you are my family!

-Bryce

It sounds like things are [happening] all over there. Heather and mom improving the everything, dad in Seattle [visiting Emily's family], and Kerry and Ceci getting ready to go to Peru. What excitement!

Nothing too crazy has happened in the past week. This week we are marrying a couple, and on thursday, we have to go to Mexico D.F. for a conference for all of the leaders in the mission.

Today I got a call from the Mission President, telling me that the grandfather of one of the missionaries in my district died (luckily I was in the church with that missionary when the Pres. called) so then President talked with him and told him. That was kind of rough, because his grandpa lived with him his whole life so he was like his dad. We went for a walk together and talked and he seems to be handling it well, which is good.

We also had a zone council in the morning, brainstormed together and made some great goals for the zone and our districts. I’m pretty excited to start with that. Tomorrow is our last day in our program to read the Book of Mormon in 90 days… I’m a little behind; however, its been great. I have found answers to so many interesting questions while reading El Libro de Mormón [The Book of Mormon] this time and strengthened my testimony of this book so much. I hope all of you take time every day to study it… if not, start now; it will make a difference that will bless your life. Several times while studying, later in the same day someone would ask me a difficult question that I answered with scriptures that I had read that same morning, questions I didn’t know the answer to previously (little miracles). It has also been an amazing guide and director in my life helping me understand what I really want and guiding me daily to accomplish those things…

¡Ya me voy! ¡Cabó el tiempo! [I already have to go! It's time to end!] I love you.

-Bryce

Hola! ¿como están todos? [Hello.  How are you all?]

Estaba reflexionado mucho este semana en las Palabras del Presidente Monson, y buscando gozo en el trayecto y como a veces tenemos el habito de pensar todo va a ser mejor y mas fácil en un tiempo futuro, y no vamos a tener problemas y desafíos como tenemos ahora. El nos dijo que, estas pensamientos son mintieras y este tiempo es una  ilusión nuca va a venir y debemos seguir adelante con dificultades, si no nuca vamos a ser felices. Estés es verdad y recuerdo pensando “todo va a ser bien cuando estoy en la misión” ja ja ja y ahora entiendo mejor que la vida y la misión nunca van a ser bien o fácil, y que necesito hacer lo que necesito hace ahora y disfrútalo porque así es la vida y así progresamos. Es difícil en verdad, pero es posible si confiamos en el Señor, El nunca dijo que “va a ser fácil” pero “va a ser posible” y va a ser para nuestro beneficio. Yo se que este es verdadero y en las palabras de un Apóstol “venga que lo venga, y disfrútelo”. [This week I have been thinking a lot about the words of President Monson, and finding joy in the journey, and sometimes we have the habit of thinking that everything will be better and easier at a future time and that we will not have problems and challenges like we do now. He told us that these thoughts are lies and that (this future imagined) time is an illusion and that it is never going to come, and we must move forward with difficulties. If not we will never be happy. This is true and I remember thinking, "everything will be fine when I am on the mission." ha ha ha And now I understand better that life and the mission will never be good or easy, and I need to do what I need to now and enjoy it, because thus is life and thus we progress. It is difficult and true, but it is possible if we trust in the Lord. He never said that "it would be easy" but rather, "it would be possible" and it will be for our benefit. I know that this is true, and in the words of an Apostle, "Come what may and love it."]

Adversity is always present in life and its always necessary. Two examples I’ve been reflecting on and trying to work out in my head the past few days are these… One is the kite. Wind is what causes the kite to have lift. The string, however is what keeps it down, with out the opposing force of the string the kite will fall (or can not fly in the first place). The same can be stated if there is not wind. The string can represent difficulties and adversities; the wind represents faith (including actions, hope, etc.) Our faith can never be put to the test, or will become dormant (cutting the string) without opposition. And if there is not wind (or faith) to give us lift, our trials will only bind us down. However, if we have faith sufficient, its lift will overcome the drag of our oppositions and we will rise (or progress). The more oppositions we have and are overcome by sufficient faith, the higher we fly (like letting out all the string in a strong wind).

I’m still working on it… and forgive me, Spencer, if I don’t use the most correct terms.

I don’t have time to get to the other, sorry… However, I hope that we can all remember that the difficult time will always come, but we must be determined to blow strong, and remember it is all for our benefit. Look for what there is to be gained from every experience, especially the hard ones! I love you all so much and this is my prayer for you!

-Bryce

Well, I’ve passed the peak and completed a year and four days as a missionary… its been long, but gone by fast. I can’t imagine what more there is to learn or experience. However, I guess that’s why life is so hard and exciting, because there is always something more we need to learn and always experiences we lack (most of them not easy.)

That’s why the Gospel is such a blessing! Without the hope of obtaining mercy or obtaining the peace that comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and without knowing or understanding our purpose in this life or throughout the moments of our life, the trials and burdens that come are more than difficult, but nearly unbearable and can destroy us. However the beauty of Christ’s Gospel is not only that we are enabled to change from who we once were, but He has shown us how we must change or who we must become, by His own example. Obtaining freedom from a bondage that is very real and is only the first miraculous part in itself, however maintaining our liberty is as equally difficult, made known and possible by disciplining ourselves to become like Christ, developing the attributes he possesses. It takes time and is very difficult! However, He never promised it would be easy; He promised it would be POSSIBLE! I know that anything of TRUE value is difficult to obtain. Therefore, the miracle of forgiveness, being the thing of greatest value (and the greatest of all miracles), is the most difficult thing to obtain!

More than anything, these are the things I have learned in the past year. They are of priceless value and I know that they are true! I believe, I hope, and I pray that we may all receive continual liberation through the power and mercy of our Deliverer, our Savior from everlasting bondage, Jesus Christ.

I love you all, and this is my greatest desire for every one of you.

Elder Bryce Sterling Packer

It’s been a long week! Yeah, we got [more] elders to form our district again! …And I have my [mobile] phone again which makes my life easier and it’s a lot easier on my wallet! The new Elders are Elder Moke (who went to high school in Spanish Fork) and Elder Vazquez who was companions with my companion last cycle. They are really good and working hard. I am so excited for General Conference! I’ve been thinking about it every day for weeks. Our stake is going to be packed seeing though as we have 12 wards! We didn’t have any baptisms this week which is kind of a downer however we brought a really great family to church and they own an ice cream, popsicle shop and they are going to teach me how to make mexican ice-cream yumm …Next family reunion, I’ll show you all what’s up.

So I’ve been in the mission for 10.5 months which is almost year and holes are appearing daily in my clothes and shoes and my socks have been “open toed” for quite a while now. I can’t believe how fast time goes when you are always busy. …Mother’s Day will be here soon and I will get to talk with you again! I am very excited for that. This time I would like to have a chance to chat with Ceci for a little bit!

Well, I know its short however I am going to the Post office to mail you those disks of picture that I still haven’t mailed. Sorry!

I hope you are all excited for general conference, it’s going to be amazing! I know that you will hear and learn things that can help make life a little better and more understandable, we all will! I remember the talks in General Conference a year and a half ago (specifically the Priesthood session) that really helped me to make the decision to go on a mission… and this has been a huge blessing for me!

I love you all and pray and hope and know that the Lord will bless every one of you. Take care of one another.

Elder Packer

P.S. One other thing I’ve been thinking about a lot ,Mom and Dad, is how I really know very little about you two. Where, when, and how you meet, what that was like, etc. I would like it if you could write me about your selves, please.