[Editorial notes by Bryce's Dad, Shayne: Bryce has 13 days left in his mission, then he flies home! I ask what he was doing for the Cinco de Mayo (Mexico Independence holiday) this Wednesday? Here is his answer.] — WORK!

Well, I’m excited to talk with everyone on Sunday! [Bryce gets to talk with the family for Mother's Day!] I can’t believe how the time keeps flying. Today we went to El Centro, which is downtown Mexico City. It has been a hot 97 degrees! Yesterday we had some major miracles in the church, and next week (my last Sunday in the mission) we are going to have 3 baptisms. I still don’t feel it! And I am sure it won’t hit me till after next Sunday! MAN IT’S HOT! Well, I think my brain is melting, because I can’t think of what to write you. However, I do love you all very much! Talk to you sooooon!

-Elder Packer

¡¡¡Happy Birthday Heather!!!

I hope you are doing great!

…and to everyone, Happy Easter!

It is SO hot!!! I am sweating like a pig! And to think it’s only going to be getting hotter…

It’s been a strange and busy week. I have been serving with Elder Padget (a new American missionary in my district) since Thursday and it has been a pleasure, even though he can speak very little Spanish and can not pronounce the “R” to save his life, the people react in a special way to his warm spirit and positive attitude. I’ve learned a lot from him, and one of those many things is what pure motives really means.

So… I am going to get a greeny! Yep. I’m going to be training my last cycle! I’m excited, and nervous, because I know that means that I will be even busier and that means the time will be going by even faster. However I am grateful for this new opportunity to serve, teach and learn. As before, I am sure I will learn more than I teach. I often wonder why the Lord is so good to me and all of us.

General Conference was wonderful and I am grateful for the guidance I and others received. It is incredible how the Lord can answer my specific prayers and those of millions of other in the same moment. I love the Lord! I also found it incredible how all of the talks where so in line, even though there were no assigned themes. I felt that two of the strongest themes were prepare the children and protect the youth. Unfortunately I didn’t bring my notes with me right now to share all of my favorite thoughts, however I do remember a few.

Joy and happiness don’t come from circumstances, but faith in the Lord. That is a lesson that I am learning more and more, its not where we are, who we are with or the blessings or trials that we are going through that determine our state of happiness. We need to be creators of circumstances not creatures of our environments. As Elder Bednar clearly stated, we are to act not to be acted upon, and faith is not merely believing, but acting. It is our works, that are in accordance with the teachings of Christ that determine our state of happiness! I love the clear example stated that if we are struggling and turn instead and focus on the needs of another rather than our own needs, than we will quickly become happier and our burdens will become light. I know that  this is the truth and that we will be happy and at peace in any season in any place and with anyone as long as we follow the teaching of the Master!

I am grateful for the teachings and the works of Jesus! For his perfect example and mercy. May we all exert ourselves to be more like Him is my prayer and hope.

I love you, my family! I pray for you and desire your well being!

-Elder Bryce Packer

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

Buenas tardes. ¿como estan? [Good afternoon. How are you?]

All is well here. We got moved in okay, although there is still some organizing to do. It rains and is cloudy some of the time, but the majority of the day is super hot and it drains so much energy. Our apartment is nice, it’s a little smaller that the last but thats okay. Its above little store that our landlord owns which sells medicinal herbs, so sometimes it smells funny, but the nice part is he keeps lots of plants so the common areas are really beautiful. I’m sorry I have no idea what to write, my brain is kind of shot at the moment.

I love you all.

Bryce

¡Feliz cumpleaños! Dad. [Happy birthday] I hope you are having a great time! …And happy anniversary dad and mom! That’s awesome, 33 1/3 years! How many amazing things have you two accomplished together in all that time?

It just started raining, which is really good because it has been super hot today… partially because we left the house early this morning to climb a hill in our area called “Chimalhuachi”. It took us an hour from our house to the top, however it was awesome. We could see the Federal District (México City) and a bunch of other neat stuff.

Afterwards we packed and moved our apartments AGAIN… I don’t know if I told you but one of the landlord’s relatives are coming from the US, and he asked us the favor of trying to find a new place to rent, so yea. But that’s okay, with almost 6 months here a change is nice. I think we’ve talked at least twice with everyone that lives somewhat close to us. So it will also give us more work! Plus its much cheeper where we changed to.

Anyways with all of the days activities I am quite tired and would love a nice long nap … yea right. I’ve been thinking that if the day of rest is very seven days, 1/7 of 2 years is 4 months, so I can hibernate when I get back. Kidding.

I just read that last little bit of your letter mom, when I was printing it out and it’s funny what you wrote… “The summer is flying by but it hasn’t been as bad going to school and working as I thought it would been. I guess leisure time is overrated. One gets much more satisfaction from accomplishments with small amounts of leisure.” …Because about three weeks ago I wrote in one of my journals something similar about relaxation. More or less that true relaxation doesn’t come from being idle (or doing “nothing”) but from changing from one activity (work) to another, however idleness conduces sin. I guess great minds do think alike, and at the same time!

Well, we better get back to unpacking and settling in.

I love you all! Have a great week!

-Elder Packer

Hey Kerry, ¡porque no me escibes en español? ¡pudia ser MAS chido mi cuate! te amo! … y no pongas pretextos de no escribir me!

Hey everyone,

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life! I hope everyone took some time to reflect on and give thanks for the amazing and wonderful country we live in. … I do every day.

Things in Mexico are well, we cleaned the house for the first time in over a month. I think and it needed it! Several frogs have gotten into our house and we don’t know how…. there are lots of frogs now with all the rain we’ve been having.

Yesterday we had a nice baptism; her name is Fatima Zepeda. She’s been coming to church for a while because her older sister, Rosa, is a member, who found the church in Chili while she was living there for a year.

Yesterday were the political elections here and I am so happy they are over!!! They are nuts; they pay people for 2 months to drive around with banners on their cars and megaphones strapped to the top playing the jingles of all the political candidates… that’s not to mention there are at least 8 major political parties here. They also paint their signs on the walls of the houses and buildings along most of the streets and post banners and stickers and give dispenses of food, clothing, hats, bags and any other thing you can think of. One of them in particular is Jesus Tolentino representing the “PRI” party, and I always have his song stuck in my head… “…Mas calles pavimentadas, agua potable, drenages tambien. Chimalhuacan votara para ti Tolentino…” [More paved roads, potable water, drainage, too. Chimalhuacan voted for you Tolentino.] I guess where ever you go politicians are the same.

I really like it here, mainly because of the people (because it’s not a very pretty place). However, I feel like I’ve worked about everywhere possible, and next cycle a change would be nice, however we’ll see what happens.

I love you all! Have a great week!

-Bryce