[Tanda] I had written and asked Bryce a bunch of questions (in italics). His answers follow.

First question, who is your companion and where is he from?
Elder Cardenas de San Louis, from Mexico.

Bryce lives with just one companion. Elder Cardenas de San Louis.  They live in a house.
My house is nice, its small, big for two people in Mexico though and in a gated community called Pitahays we rent it from members that live in northern Mexico.

Bryce wishes he was sleeping in a hammock.  He sleeps in a bed that feels like a floor, but by it’s time for sleep he LOVES IT! They do not have a maid, cook or anyone to wash their laundry and shop for food.  In other words…
We have to do it all ourselves.  Its nice though we have a washing machine …kind of (I’ll send a picture sometime) and we eat with the members for lunch around 2-3ish and they don’t really have dinner in Mexico.  The clothes are line dried of coarse.

I looked up Panchuca it said that it is 8,500 – 9,000 ft high have you had any problems with the altitude?
Nope  but I live in the lower part of Pachuca… it was originally a mining town for 500 years.

I don’t drink the water,  but I’ve accidentally used it a couple of times… I’m fine and the natives don’t even drink the water!

It also says that Panchuca means “windy beauty” and that their is a constant wind out of the northeast and that it is one of the coldest places in Mexico.
Yep it really windy here and it rains ALOT!

I asked Bryce if he needed a coat, or long sleeve shirts.  He said that some sweaters might be nice every once in a while.
I am nice and warm.  I’m ok almost all of the time, the natives think I’m crazy when they all have scarfs and coats on when its cold.

Who are your investigators?
Agostin Piña who is 20 really neat person and has a baptismal date but we are having challenges actually getting him to the church… he came to the Temple Visitors center with us a few weeks back.

We are in a  ward. It is a new ward formed from splitting a larger ward and its very small. We have a new chapel which is very nice.

Do you walk?
WE WALK ALOT! and bus a lot too and vans and taxis also.

How much computer time you get each week?
I have one hour of computer time. However I have to write the Mission Pres. and secretaries in this time too and I type and read in Spanish really slow. How ever last week I got you DearElder.com [letter] from the 17th of Aug. and Kristi’s from who knows when and the end of your DearElder was cut off too.

Oh, please tell Kristi congratulations for me, I’m going to be an uncle! [for the ninth time]

What is your mailing address to your apartment, in case we want to mail letters, photos, etc.?
ONLY mail letters to the mission address.  You can mail anything there, but only single sheets through pouch, everything else through normal mail.

[The address of the mission home is on the Current Address page.]

Thanks for your letter mom! It really made my day! I think about you all and pray for you a lot… were going to have to make up for lots of time when I get back.

Last Lunes [Monday] I went to Mexico [City] to immigrations for the last of my visa stuff. I got to ride the metro there; it is insane! I’m sure people die. And I got to see Elder Covington (my old companion) and Elder King my old roommate in the MTC. that was very nice. And today the whole zone went up into the mountains to a campground kind of thing and played soccer and cooked food. It was awesome. Well I’ve got to go. I wish I could say more.  I Love you mom, and all of you.

Bryce

[Here's a short note to Shayne]

Hey Dad,

I read your letters last week and this week. It sounds like things are going well. You are an awesome dad and a great grandpa. you can help me out to when I have kids.

love, bye, Bryce

Bryce called today for a few minutes to tell us his visa is all arranged now! He flies to Mexico City on a direct flight Tues, Aug. 12, 2008 at 9:35 am.

Any mail you sent him at the MTC must be there by Monday or they will return it to you. Please send mail to the Mexico City mission home now. (See the Current Address page for details.)

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.

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

[Editor's note: Bryce got to call home for a few short minutes. His visa is delayed by another 3 weeks or so. The Mexican embassy is behind. So he's staying at the MTC and continuing his studies while he waits.]

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