My Best Companion - Elder Pack

¡como esta mi querido familia y amigos?

Well MERRY CHRISTMAS, FELIS NAVIDAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the time of year were everyone is able to grow closer because even with all our differences, there is love through Jesus Christ our Savior.  I think that we should all take the time and read the birth of our Lord and Savior. (found in the new testament!)

So this week we had some fun.  Elder Cortés is awesome.  He might just be the best companion that I have had on the mission.  We work well together.  He and I are always having a great time.  We have one person that should get baptized in the next week (before the new year).  Her name is Genesis.  She is a daughter of a less active member.  We are also trying to help a brother stop his addiction to alcohol so that he can baptize his own son.  We keep trying to get his wife to let someone else baptize the son, so that they aren’t playing with the salvation of their son.  But, at the moment she hasn’t seen that this is a bad thing.  Please pray for the softening of her heart because we are trying all that we can on this side.  Anyone have any ideas for helping someone seeing the need to change because we could use the ideas?

So I don’t know what I want to tell everyone because I want things to talk about this Saturday.  But something that was supper funny happened on Sunday.  While we were finding a ride back to our ranch, we got a ride in the back of a truck were there was already someone hitch hiking.  This teenager was so drunk it was kinda sad and funny.  He was talking to us and walking around in the back of the truck.  He even fell a few times because he wasn’t holding on to anything, and I was worried that he was going to fall out of the truck.  Luckily he didn’t!

Well family and friends, that is all that I’m going to write this week.  Love you all and hope that you all have a great week.

Love ELDER PACK

Feliz Navidad - Sister Pack

Hola Familia!

   So I hope everyone is enjoying the cold weather and the whole Christmas feel in the states. It is pretty hot here in Corrientes right now! I got my first burn, and I am working on a shoe tan. It´s way amazing! lol. Christmas is so different here. The only time I have heard Christmas music was in our pension. Hermana Lythgoe and I are making missionary traditions this year! We put up our tree and wall decorations! thanks mom! also we listen to Christmas music from the time we get into our pension to the time we leave. We have our stockings hanging off a clothes line it´s a pretty awesome sight. I will have to send pictures. We had a Christmas party on Saturday with our branch.  We didn´t get to stay long because things start so late here! lol. However we got food from them and it was muy RICO! Some people have lights hanging up in their gates and it is way amazing to see. We think it is kind of funny to see all the saints on the nativity scene. We are eating dinner on Christmas Eve with the Family Baez. They are truly amazing. They take care of all the missionaries around here. Here in Argentina the Christmas Eve dinner is extremely important...food is their love here. And it is way amazing!

   I told you guys about our investigator Tamara last week and she is doing so awesome! She is progressing so much and she is searching diligently like Enos did. She came to all three meetings of church this week and in Sacrament we had the primary program which couldn´t have been better because she has two kids and the spirit was there like nothing else. It was a good day. We also may be having a baptism this coming Sunday right after sacrament for Leo. (keeping our fingers crossed)

   Our mission president said to take this time, while out in the field, to testify of the divinity of Christ. I think it is the most amazing thing that we have the calling to do this. People don´t have time to listen about the gospel but they do listen to our testimony this week.

    This week is kind-of tough knowing that I am missing the family stuff however I am so so so grateful for the opportunity to preach about Christ at this time of the year. Hermana Lythgoe and I are trying to find a Christmas miracle. Someone who is ready for the message of Christ’s gospel is fully restored. Well that is pretty much all my time I have today. I can say though, that I am very grateful for my decision to serve the lord. I know that Argentina is where I am supposed to be without a doubt in my heart. I hope you guys enjoy your Christmas and continue to be missionaries during this time because there is nothing better than sharing the love of Christ!

Love Hermana Pack

Sister Pack Builds Ginger Bread Houses

Hola familia!

First off, I am glad Ty is enjoying the field!  There is so much work to be done! I can hardly find time to eat here and now understand how Ty has lost so much weight! I think I have lost quite a bit too! lol

So it is my second week in the field, and I am still loving it with everything I’ve got!  Good sign right!? lol It is pretty hot here today I am not sure the degrees but I know that the humidity makes it pretty dang hot! lol. This week we decorated our pension with the wall stickers mom gave me (THANKS MOM) and our little tree is in the corner with our stalkings hanging on the clothes line above the tree.  It is quiet a hilarious sight. I have pictures I just need to figure out how to send them to you guys... I am a little afraid to put pictures on this computer and send them cuz I am not sure what kind of viruses are on this computer...

So remember those dogs I told you guys about... well every time we go down that street they ALWAYS ALWAYS follow us!  It´s kind of funny now.  At first scary, but now they think we should play with them. One day last week was pretty hard…Hermana Lythgoe lost her watch (she just got earlier that day) mine broke and I got pooped on by a bird! Haha  But it ended up being one of our best days because a woman let us in our house and she is now one of our progressing investigators! Her name is Tamara. She has two children and when we visited her at the beginning of the week we were unable to get a hold of her, so we came the day after and we had a lesson with her. In our lesson she said ´yesterday she felt no need for our word but today (the day we had the lesson with her) I am missing something.´ I cannot believe how much the Lord has his hands in the people we meet and when we meet them. I am so grateful to see the spirit work through me and my companion to help these people grow closer to our Father in Heaven. She not only read what we asked her to read, but she read more!!  And she is attending church with us this Sunday.

We are currently working with some other investigators (mostly older men) and one has a set date for January 5^th.  I guess he has been taking lessons from the missionaries since 1992! but he now feels that it is time to get baptized…he is golden!  We ended up doing ginger bread houses with him and some other brethren in the ward.  It was so much fun and they were actually more creative than us.

OH tell dad I learned how to put down a floor the other day at a service project! not the same type of floor as we have but it was still lots of fun.

Well, I love you guys and loving the work I hope everything is going well in the States.  Remember to think of Jesus Christ during this time of the year! I love you guys!

Love, Hermana Pack

Conducting Sacrament Meeting - Elder Pack

well hello family and friends,

this is the end of the second week of December, and well, that means we are getting closer to CHRISTMAS!!!!!!  yes i am excited for Christmas to tell you the truth. the only problem is i don’t know if anything is going to change here in the mission. my companion just told me that when it gets closer to Christmas people start thinking more of the virgin of guadeloupe (why guadeloupe? i have no clue). it’s sad if that is really what happens here because really Christmas is a time to remember our Savior not the mother of Christ.

the last few days have been kinda funny and kinda interesting. the last week was the "week of the saints" as my companion tells me. they had festivals for different saints throughout the week and today they finished with the virgin. (which one, i have no clue there are like 57 different virgins recognized nationally)

in this week we had a great time looking for new people and had some success. we will be working harder because the companion i have right now wants to work just as bad as i do. (our companion elder rodriguez changed area after the first night it was very strange to tell you the truth.)  in this week we fought to find food some days because well the people are going into vacation and they aren’t paid during their vacations.  they don’t really have enough food for us, so we are going to talk to the president.

yesterday i had my first opportunity to lead the sacrament service!!! hahaha it was very interesting. i didn’t really know what i was doing to tell you the truth because well it was my first time and i was thinking about a lot of different things at the same time. like our investigators, the girl that i have been " teaching" the pianist, (how well she was going to do the playing of i am a child of god), and well other things on the agenda it was interesting. but i made it through it with just my pride hurt!!!!! hahahahaha

i like moms idea of riding horses but i don’t think that the president will be going for that idea. and i just told my companion and he told me to tell mom that; su boca esta toda atascada de razón. and i think that one of my brothers can translate that for you mom.

well my family and friends that is all  that i have time for today.

LOVE ELDER PACK

New Companion (Three's a Crowd) - Elder Pack

hello family and friends,

so it’s great to hear all the experiences that sister pack is having down there in argentina. why you may ask? well to tell you the truth in the airport it was the same way for me. i got off of the plane and looked around and only saw spanish, the people only spoke spanish, the only thing that was missing was the banda music in the background completing the scene. when i got off the plane and went through check-in, i was supper confused and didn’t understand a word being said to me. (i am happy that those people had alot of patience with me and didn’t just throw me in jail hahaha) alot of the experiences that she is having, i have had and i can see the humor in them.

so today was transfers and neither of us got changes, but they sent us another companion why? who knows, only the president. right now we are looking for one more of everything: the table, a bed more utensils. all the things that he will need to live with us.  i got to buy my sweater today and that made me very happy because now i have my own!!!! sad part is i didn’t find a place to fix my camera, but in the next few weeks, i will be trying to find a place that can fix it so i can take pictures!!!!

so in the last week some experiences passed that were very interesting. on the last Monday,  we were helping sister angelica sell food from her stand at school and randomly a girl walked up to me and asked me if she could take a picture of my eye. well i was shocked and surprised and didn’t even know how to answer. luckily sister angelica saved me, telling the girl that there are things that we as missionaries cannot do because of the mission. it was great.

well that is all that i have time for at the moment.  i will hopefully have more time in the next week. love you all and hope that you all have a great week.

LOVE ELDER PACK

First Week in Argentina - Sister Pack

So I am finally in Argentina! It was the best feeling ever! We had 28 hours cumulative in the air over 2 days. It was kind of groosem but I am finally here! So I got a lot of letter about what it´s like here so I will try and tell you guys my experience so we landed in Buenos Aires in the morning on Tuesday as I got off the plane I could feel the humidity through all the airport wohoo for humidity! We went to customs and I barely understood what they were saying to me! lol We then drove around the city till we got to the other airport to take us to Resistencia, and let me tell you these bums are way more efficient then the USA bums... haha they have tents its hilarious.  We stayed the night at the Presidents house and let’s just say I have never seen a horse buggie cars mopeds and busses so wild in my life. There was a total of one stop sign in the part of the city we were in according to the AP. We had meetings and I received my trainer on Wednesday. Her Name is Hermana Courtney Lythgoe. She is from Arizona. We are having tons of fun and working really hard together. I realized the Spanish I learned in the MTC is extremely different than the language being spoken here. lol We have 3 progressing investigators that we are working with so we are doing a lot of finding right now giving me the opportunity to talk. it is quiet hilarious at times. Some funny things have happened since I got here in Corrientes. Corrientes is a city about 20 mns out of Resistencia.  We have two avinidas (paved roads) and lots of Calles( Dirt roads).  It is so amazing here.  I love it so much. There is so much character and lots of good music in the streets. Oh so I was going to tell you about my experience.  So on Thursday we were tracting, and we saw a sight I never thought I would see on my on my mission.  A naked man just staring at us with his hands on his hips... my compa and I gasped and started running and then laughing because while we were running 6 dogs decided to start following us and surrounded my companion.  It was kind of hilarious and scary at the same time.  Any ways this is Argentina.  Full of... character lol. I love it. I love the food and I love the people. I will have to send pictures of the wild horses in the middle of the city and a picture of our shower... I mean whole lol.  Well I love you guys and hope you guys have an awesome week.

                                                 Love Hermana Pack

Elder Pack has a turkey dinner in Mexico!!

hello family!!

his week was cool i had a few opportunities this week i haven’t had before, but i will explain them a little bit latter.

but falicidades to my sister that is finally going to Argentina!!!! how exiting she will learn how much she needs to learn of Spanish when she gets off the plane... well i hope that this doesn’t happen but it most likely will. i wish her luck and hope she finds a love of following the rules. maybe she will get placed in the same zone or district as elder gifford how cool would that be.

so i hope that everyone had a great thanksgiving and that they had a great time eating all the turkey they could eat. also all that pie!!! hmmm sounds good... but i will be sticking to my tortillas thank you very much.

so this week was cool. we got to take the branch president to a few less active members house. well he is blind so it took forever because we had to walk everywhere. we went to one members house and we talked to them for a few minutes and then we went to the second house on our list. well this house is very far away and so it took forever to get there to start off. (but it was fun to talk to the president) the sister we went to visit is also blind and can’t go to church because there is no one to take her. so when we got to the house we decided to act like the president had walked all the way by himself. it was funny to see the reaction on their faces when we had him knock the door. so we went into the house and started to talk in the kitchen area. but as the discussion went on the president and sister anita decided to change to the other room. we didn’t help them neither did the daughters of the sister. the sister herself lead the president into the other room... it was a literal example of the blind leading the blind. it was very awesome.  then we took him home and started our work for the day. but it was cool. (an experience very strange is to have a blind person sitting right in front of you having them open their eyes looking straight at you and knowing all though they are looking straight at your face they cannot see you) so thursday came up and i didn’t even remember that it was thanksgiving until more than half way through the day. i didn’t do anything for turkey this day. but friday i had a great experience. a non-member (but husband of a member) decided to do something awesome. he went out and found a turkey to cook. we went to his little store and got the produce and made a turkey dinner. it wasn’t as good as mom’s turkey dinners, but it was awesome considering that they put it together last minute. (the turkey was killed especially for the occasion). that man, i will remember throughout my life and i hope that one day he will make the decision to be baptized because he is an awesome person.  sunday was good.  we had a good attendance at church 18 people.  partially due to the fact that during the week, we had had the opportunity to hold a FHE and all the people that were at the FHE felt the spirit. i was supper glad that those people listened to the promptings of the spirit and went to church.

Well, that is all that really happened this week. love you all hope you all have a great week.

LOVE ELDER PACK

A Day of Thanksgiving - Sister Pack

So today is thanksgiving and my P-day a little weird but it’s cool especially when you get to hear an apostle speak! Well I got two this week! cool right!?! On Tuesday we had Todd D Christofferson and this morning we had Elder Russell M Nelson. It was amazing to say the least. When I am in their presence [10 feet away btw] there is no denying that they are special witnesses of Christ. It pierces your soul with verification that the things they are saying are true. So today I want to talk about giving thanks because it is dia de palvo [turkey]! So first off I need to say Elder Nelson wanted me to tell "Thank you for rearing your children to serve their Savior". So that's for you mom and any other parent out there that has a child on a mission or soon to be.

So i have been thinking a lot about what I am grateful for this week and I am really grateful to be going into summer in 4 days but more importantly that I get to go and spread the gospel to all that are willing to hear it. You finally get to a point in the MTC where you are itching to teach people who don't know their father in heaven loves them so much that He has given them a way back. I am so grateful for my mission. Elder Christofferson said last week that while he was on his mission that he was indebted before but after he became greatly indebted to the lord. I testify of this. As much as I try to give back the lord seems to give me more. More confidence more love more of the spirit more of the knowledge. I am grateful for tender mercies in my life also. The times when I just giggle and it fills my whole heart with joy. The swelling in the chest that the lord is pleased with me when I am obedient. Also PAPA's FUDGE! oh my goodness did that save me this week or what. I have the best papa in the world and his fudge is the best too!!! just saying :DD thanks Papa. So I guess this leads me into family. I am so so so grateful for my wonderful family. My grams is a saint, literally, as I have watched her through the years my admiration has grown with my desire to be like her. I am also so grateful for you mom. Without your zeal to be a part of the fold I wouldn't be here, being able to feel the saviors love 24/7. I am grateful for Ty. He has been the biggest help since I have been on the mission. We teach a part in the first discussion called "The Gospel blesses families." I can testify as i have learned more about the gospel my love and ty's and my strength has grown.  This is a personal testimony to me that it is true. Families are strengthened when they work to be like Christ together. I am grateful for confirmations.  I know that this is where I am supposed to be without a doubt in my heart, and as Elder Christofferson said, this is my time to give thanks back to the lord because he has given me all through the mercy of his son. I love you all and hope you all keep an attitude of gratitude through this holiday season and through the year.

Love Hermana Pack

Happy Thanksgiving - Elder Pack

hello my family and friends,  how are you?  we have been having a great week.  so this week i would like to say to all people HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!! i hope someone eats a little for me hahaha

so sister pack is ready to leave the mtc?? how fantastic, no?? i think some people should write her some letters of encouragement because 8 weeks in the mtc is longer than heck. i don’t know how missionaries can be in the mtc for more than that i started going crazy after 5 weeks.

this week we had a conference with the president of the mission, why, who knows but we had to be in torreon at 8:30 in the morning. well we left the house at about 7 and we didn’t get there until 10, so to say the least we didn’t get there on time.  the conference ended at like 4, and we didn’t get out of torreon until after 6.  so taking in account that the bus ride is about 3 hours long, we didn’t get back into out areas until 9:30. needless to say we didn’t get much work done that day. but it was cool, the conference, the president had a great lecture on how to be in-tune with the spirit more. i think he knows more than we do and gave it for a specific reason. the mission possibly is suffering because we aren’t baptizing very much and people are leaving the church faster than we can re-activate them.

so we had a guest of the government in our ranch this week. on friday the governor of durango was here giving a speech and doing a lot of other things. it was very interesting to see so many people in the center of the town listening to him. we thought about contacting the people but thought twice because it might have been a bad idea. then on Sunday, they had their parade for the mexican revolution day. the people were all sorts of crazy in the parades and at night when we came back from out district meeting almost everyone that we came across was drunk. (we don’t have to get very close to the people to know that they have been drinking because you can smell it from more than 3 feet away). but because they had their giant parade we only had 5 members in church (and 2 showed up after the parade so only 3 were in sacrament meeting). everyone used the excuse of the parade too so they couldn’t go to church. but this week everything should be fine and everyone should be able to go to church because there isn’t a holiday! !!! how fun we will have people in church listening to us teach and give talks!!!! i only hope.

so i know i sound depressed most likely and some people might think I’m sad and the truth be told i kind of am sad for these people. they have the message of the gospel in their lives.  some have been to the temple and have been sealed, some have had sons go on missions and yet they don’t see the importance of going to church. I’m not really sad to be in the area I’m more sad for the people over everything. i feel that this area will prepare me for the rest of my life in wanting to go to church and will prepare me for the rest of my mission in trying my hardest to help everyone.

so I’m grateful for a lot of things in this season of great thanks. my family. the opportunity to be here in mexico. the opportunity to learn from these people both the good and the bad. I’m grateful for friends and family that love me and want the best for me . (i just wish they would write me more hahaha) there are more things that i and grateful for like the sacrifice of my personal savior in my life so that i could have the opportunity to return with my father in heaven.  

well my family and friends, i love you all and hope that you all have a great week. and a great thanksgiving!!!!

LOVE ELDER PACK

Hostess Week - Sister Pack

So this week has been really awesome. It hasn't been to cold but it's suppose to get colder this weekend. no fun. It is my 8th week here! so only one more full week and then I take off to summer on the 28th! It is kind of crazy to think I have already been on my mission for 2 months! it does not feel that way. That saying that weeks feel like day and days feel like weeks is so true! We got to be hosts this week and it was so cute seeing all the little newbies come into the MTC. It helped renew my excitement about the MTC a little bit lol. It reminds me of when I came in and how scared I was. Now I am going to be a newbie in the field! crazy!!

So thanksgiving is this next week and I get to eat cafeteria food! yay! lol. It's times like these when you miss home and mom's cooking. I am really excited though to be here because they do really fun service projects so I have been told. Speaking of Holidays. So for those who don't know Christmas is coming around the corner and I know that there is a little brother of mine who would like letters for a Christmas present. They seriously rock a missionary's world! Speaking of letters. I wanted to tell Christie Erickson I loved her letter and that she does have a letter coming her way! I hope you are having fun in Germany! Also thanks Sister VanBuskirk for sending me a pic of Daniel and Sara. A congrats is in order for my good friends Sara and Daniel! There is nothing cooler than to know your friends are starting families! Especially when you are teaching all day about eternal families and eternal purpose! So CONGRATS Mr and Mrs VanBuskirk!
  

 I have realized that I am turning into mom lol. it started getting cold outside and my hot coco censor went off. I have been enjoying hot coco every night because of our amazing Presidency wives! they seriously spoil us! It is kind of crazy to think I only have 10 more days of wearing sweaters and then I will be heading to 115 degree weather! So I am getting my fix in of Hot coco. There are tons of people going to Argentina! I have met 3 other sister that are going to my mission finally! (And 20 elders lol) I saw Elder Jacob Crist, Elder Jake Hansen and Elder Taylor Butta since I have been here. kind of weird how small our world is in the church. It has been fun seeing them though.

Well I did not get my travel plans today. I am hoping that we are being delayed because there were about 18 missionaries who had to stay at the mtc last week for 2 weeks extra because they didn't have their visas! little scary! but I have faith that my visa will come in.

Elder Callister came and spoke to us this week and he showed some wonderful insight on the apostasy and the restoration of the fullness of the gospel. I have quiet a few quotes for Jonathan. My testimony has grown so much since I have been studying about the apostasy and restoration. I think everybody should! it is amazing how much our Heavenly Father loves us that He is giving us all the opportunity to come to Him. I love Him and I love my Savior. He has made me whole when I have been weak. Well love you guys. Have a great week!

                                                                                          Hermana Pack

Warm showers and cooked food - Elder Pack

hello people of the US!! how are you all??

so i have received a few letters 2 from grams 1 from little des 1 from shay 1 from kenyon 1 from hermana pack  and 1 from tasha. thank you all for sending me letters it means alot to me.

sister pack is correct missionaries love letters, every time we receive one it fortifies us and we also feel the love of the person that sent it to us. so please send letters to missionaries in the field it would make there day brighter and happier.

so this week has been a fun we are still fighting the low numbers and getting people to reactivate. but me and my companion are really starting to understand the other and learn to work together more effectively. we have been struggling alot with this for reasons really stupid and i think now we understand the others view of the world more and how the other really works. so hopefully we will get some good work done. 

so this week i have been working on a few things. loving everyone, perfecting my spanish, killing my pride (work in progress), and obtaining confidence in myself. (i know alot of people would probably think that i already have this but the truth is i need to be more confident) they are coming along but they will all take time i think.

well for the information this week. not much happened and I'm sad about that. so in our little ranch we have been looking for good families that will help strengthen the area and make it grow. we have one family, the family torres, that we feel might really strengthen this area. only one problem they are kinda catholic... but no worries we can help them find a love for Jesus Christ through the pages of the Book of Mormon. really that is what they need a testimony of that book. people might be thinking "why try and change there religion don't you think there happy?" ill tell you why, this is the only true church on the face of the earth and there is no other pathway to get back to our father in heaven. then they might say "aren't all churches good and don't they all help?". my answers yes and no yes almost all churches help us draw closer to our father and Christ but not all make it there. we can all read the bible and figure out that Christ actually formed a church when he set apart his 12 apostles.

friday was a sad day because we tried planning a big activity for the branch.  a talent show night, but we had only 5 people there and what makes it sadder is we had a investigator there and basically no members to participate. so we think he might have become a little uninterested about investigating the church because no one was at the church.

so sunday i gave another talk i need to work on giving better talks because i feel as though my talk was very boring. so i will be working on this.

so good news WE JUST GOT A TANK OF GAS!!!! that means no more cold showers it makes us happy hahaha oh also we get to eat food cooked and not just cereal now hahaha.

well that's all for today i don't remember much else to tell you the truth. just that hitch hiking is fun and at night it really gets cold in the back of a moving truck hahaha

love you all and hope that you all have a great week.

love ELDER PACK

The MTC turning into the White House???? - Sister Pack

So some crazy things have been happening at the MTC this past week! First off we saw protesters outside of the gates (ok only two) but it was kind of hilarious. Seriously they are targeting people who have their head in the scriptures all day. nice.lol. Also security has been hyped up here at the mtc. We have to carry our card with us everywhere (not our name tag an ID card) and this card is the only way that you can get into all the buildings. Also they are cracking down on us not wearing our name tags.  Kind of interesting if you ask me...lol  Well, better safe than sorry right!?

     My week has been awesome full of learning spanish and the gospel and spanish... lol. I though I was kind of getting good at my spanish until I listened to a native of Uruguay and I realized I understood like 10% of what he said. SWEET! lol I knew it would happen but most people don't come to that realization till they are in the field. I guess this is the lords way of telling me I need to work harder! I only have 2.5 weeks left!!!  Then I am going to sweet ole' summer!  Let me tell you how excited I am about that.... Well I am pretty excited about it! I can't handle this cold weather and when the snow is not for snowboarding it's not as enticing. lol.

   I wanted to thank mom and Grams for the awesome boxes! We enjoyed them thoroughly! We have pictures in the classes mom, so I will be sending the photos home soon hopefully! I also wanted to thank everyone who writes me.  It seriously helps missionaries to get even a 3 line letter that people are proud of what they are doing. SO THANK YOU! and continue to write all missionaries for the lord will bless you! Sorry that my emails aren't as detailed oriented as Ty's but we do pretty much the same thing everyday. Wake up- study- eat-study- eat- teach- EAT- study -Eat some more- than sleep lol. But I am enjoying it. I love the MTC and how much I have learned here about our savior and Our Father's plan for us. I have been reading a book called "Our search for Happiness" and I would recommend it to everyone! it really is an awesome read and helps answer question very simply. 

  Something I have learned this week that has completely changed my whole view on everything is that the word faith means trust in the scriptures. I know that is probably something I should have learned a long time ago but It astounds me how that one word can change everything. Because I have Trust in Him, I know that everything will be ok. I know that I will learn the language and that I will be able to teach those who are looking for a way to strengthen their trust in the Lord.  I Do trust in my Lord with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding. Being here has strengthened my testimony so much. Our message (the gospel) is so simple. God is our loving heavenly father, because He loves us He gave us His son, but not only His son but prophets to help us understand our relationship with His son. Then in 1820 He revealed His gospel again to another Prophet Joseph Smith. "THE FATHER AND HIS SON revealed it to a boy so that we can have the most abundant amount of happiness possible through the fullness of His gospel." -Uchtdorf If you are unsure in this I would suggest you to pray to our Father and to read the words for yourself. It is life changing... Well I got to go love you guys!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Hermana Pack

Hitch-hiking isn't that Dangerous?????? - Elder Pack

hello my family and friends!!!!!

i hope that everyone has been having a great week and that everyone got there sweet tooth out of the way.  now we have navidad and dia de gracias in front of us how exciting for all of you... I'm sad that i wont be celebrating Thanksgiving its one of my favorite holidays hahahaha. but alas i will have to wait another 2 years for my next one.

so how was every one's Day of the Dead???? mine was awesome because no one was home... that was sarcasm... everyone went to the giant seminary that isn't even near here so it was really hard to talk to anyone. but it was cool to see people had decorations all around the stores and also in some houses. people told us all about their ancestors and that they were happy to go out and visit them. my companion is from Mexico and he thinks its weird that people celebrate it because they should rather find the truth of the Gospel and help there family out, rather than party with them in the grave yard haha. i thought his comment was funny and very true. funny thing is they also celebrate Halloween here. we heard children walk up to doors and say "¡¡¡¡Quiremos Halloween!!!" which is "we want Halloween!!!!". was cool to see people adopt the American holiday.

well this week was fun.  we were able to teach people, fix a bunch of stuff in the house, almost kill ourselves a few times from fixing things, and running church again. this week we only had 10 people really come to church and that really kinda made me sad. the people here don't understand that this isn't just a half time thing. we need to be going to church every sunday not just when we feel like it. our branch president that isn't in the best of shape and is also blind makes it every sunday. not even his daughters have learned from his example. but I'm grateful for his example, it shows me how much the church really means and that we need to be firm in our beliefs. 

i have been studying in the scriptures about forgiveness. the thing that i learned is that we hold the responsibility to forgive. if we do not and don't have kind thoughts of others, we are held more accountable than the person that had committed the act against us. also i have been listening to old conference talks and i have learned much from them. i love the talk in the last october conference by President Monson " the 3 r´s of choice" it really shows us that no one can chose our paths for us. we are the only ones that can chose that.

well i will try and get more out of this week so that my letter is longer and more detailed.

love you all and hope that everyone that reads this letter has a great week!!!!

love ELDER PACK

ps about the hitch hiking its not that dangerous for us because we trust that the lord will only put people in our paths that will help us and not hurt us. plus it is the only way to get to our district meetings... we use our brains to make sure we are making the right decisions. haha no worries.

I can do hard things.....through the Savior - Sister Pack

So It's been another crazy week in the MTC.  I have seriously learned so much this week it is crazy!  But first off, I hope every one's Halloween was awesome! The hermanas in my district dressed up as "ELDERS" by wearing our nice jackets and ties.  It was hilarious and everyone loved it however we kind of got in trouble for it because we aren't suppose to observe holidays... which we didn't know that included dressing up... lol so we ended up having to take off our ties... sad day but other than that it was a great Halloween.  We did many little pranks and trick or treated on our floor after classes. way fun!

This week we had Sister Dalton come and I talk to her which is way cool because she reminds me so much of my young women years since she has been in the presidency since I was like 13.  She talked about how our job is hard but totally worth it as missionaries and I totally agree with her. All the tears and stretching has been worth it.  I have learned how much my savior loves me through my trials here. One thing she said that really hit me was " In the strength of the Savior I can do all things instead of her old saying "i can do hard things." It is so true. We can go so much further with the aide of the Savior and the Atonement. So how do we find or utilize the strength of the Savior?  Well I have found it through prayer. In Alma 14 ( I think) it talks about prayer and how prayer creates humility. Through humility can we become strong. Elder Zwink (quorum of the 70) talked to us this week also and he talked about when we start to forget to pray we start relying on our own strength and start gaining pride. "The miracle of prayer is creating and maintaining our relationship with god." I know this is true. Because I testify of it everyday to our investigators. Utilize prayer and you can do wondrous things. It has been the only way that I have learned this language and I know that We all can use Christ to build us up in our weaknesses. Love you all.

Hermana Pack

Happy Halloween - Elder Pack

hello family!!!!,

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this week has been pretty crazy. i have experienced a few things for the first time of my life this week and it was a fantastically good time.

i would first like to start out by saying that there is a certain sister that could really use some letters in the mtc and it doesn't matter who sends them its just matters that people write her.

so what has been happening on my rancho!!!!  so first off i found out monday that we didn't have a church building we have a prayer house. well this i found out is some of the differences: the church doesn't own the building here that we meet in, we rent it out from someone and that means the church didn't build it so we don't actually have a good baptismal font to baptize in. we have a membership of about 200 but only about 20 come actively. a lot have left this area because there aren't many jobs around here anymore. my ranch is really small but the area we work in is pretty big so when we get done or "bored" of this small town we can go to one of the other ones to work!!! we live in a house with all the works so that's great. we do have a shower but the problem is we don't have a boiler. so every darn shower is as cold as ice. we also don't have a stove because someone stole the tank of gas the missionaries had so we live off of milk and cereal. its sad to say that or food appts. do fall through and we will have to go eat by our selves. its a cool experience to be in a rancho.  i will be doing my best to get people to go to church and help people into the gospel but who knows its supposed to be harder to work in the ranchos. an experience that i had this week for the first time was HITCH HIKING!!!!!!!!! i plan on doing some more of it to hahaha. its crazy to put your life in the trust of a complete stranger but its necessary to get around because it would be way to expensive to travel by bus everywhere. we have met some cool people while hitch hiking and there are a lot of nice people that actually give us rides. bad thing is that we have to hitch hike in the dark, because the district meetings are so darn far away. i gave my first talk in church.  it was super strange to talk in front of people in a new language and it is way different then teaching people a lesson because in the lesson people can actually respond and it feels like something is going on. but when you are giving a talk everyone seems to be sleeping or not paying very much attention. the weather is about the same as it was in torreon because we aren't to far from torreon. our president of the branch is blind so we do a lot of the things he would normally do and the reason he is still president is because there isn't really anyone else that can do it at the moment. people aren't the most active here. so we are working on baptizing the next president on the branch and darn it we will do it also.

so we also took divisions this week and it seemed forever long and we didn't get the baptism but this week we will. i have learned a lot more spanish and am able to communicate with just about everyone. i just need to perfect my spanish because i don't grammatically make sense sometimes. (having an american companion doesn't help you with your spanish!!!!) so that is all i have at the moment love you all and hope that you all have a great week!!!!!

LOVE ELDER PACK

Sister Pack's 1st Letter

Unfortunately, I don't have a ton of time today because it took off time for some reason???  However, my week was great! We got a new sister in our district, and I also got a calling in the zone.  I am now music coordinator.  I can't believe how much I have missed music, and it is my only escape when I am frustrated our feeling down.  Thank Heavenly Father every day for your talents because they are such a blessing!  Anyways, we are the oldest group in our zone insane right!?  But there are things that come with being the oldest like callings and other stuff.  Like having the menu for the cafeteria memorized our excitement beyond comparison for the BYU Creamery because it makes your week!  I have gained a little bit of weight, which was kind of expected but not much! only 3 pounds!  I am working out every day.  I'm known as the "girl on the bike" during our gym time because I pound it out on the bike. I rode 8.5 miles yesterday!  My goal is 15! depends on time though ://  Thanks dad for the love of biking!  It seriously makes me so happy!  Things I have realized since being a missionary is that people smile at you differently.. lol not to sure why but they do. Also we get food!! ALL THE TIME!  For example walking down from the temple today some Koreans just started handing us cookies! We didn't complain because it wasn't the cafeteria food for once! Wow I have talked a lot about food! lol I guess I will talk about food for the heart now. So this week I have learned so many lessons but the one that sticks out to me is Faith in Christ. I have had some rough days [like on our MWF Spanish only days where I just want to be driven to tears] Then I pray and put my faith in the Lord to get me through the last few hours of the day or a lesson. He is always there too. coolest. thing. ever. well that is all for today.  I love you guys and I am sending pictures home of our adventures [fire-drills] and of the district and my amazingly awesome comp! speaking about pics! I would love pictures of family and friends!!! My wall is pretty bare :// anyways that is it.  Love you all!  But Christ loves you more and all He wants is for you to trust Him and He will bless you soooo much. I am a walking testimony of that.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Love Hermana Pack

1 John 4:[all of it!!]

Elder Pack Transfers to Tlahualilo Municipality, Durango Mexico

Well my family and friends,,

 

i have left La Laguna and am now in Tlahualilo. my new companion is elder Rodriguez from mexico.  what city? i don't know yet. he has 1 year almost...how exciting i know haha.

 

so this rancho I'm in at least has Internet and apparently has a few places to buy food so i think we will be fine. he also tells me that we have a few people progressing and that we can most likely get a few baptisms.  this change is exciting.  i need to baptize or I'm not being very effective.

 

so this week me and elder Quackenbush learned to cook tortillas and how to make gorditas with the eggs and the frijoles con queso also chicharon prinsada. we also learned how to cook discada but i think i should have taken notes because i kinda forgot how to cook all of this haha. i am just hoping that one of these days i will be able to go cook some more with the members and learn how to cook some more things so that i can cook some stuff when i get home.

 

so I'm really happy to have gotten out of that other area because i didn't know what i could do to find success. this new area seems promising and I'm really happy that i have another opportunity to see another part of mexico. this little rancho is in durango and it is kind of small. but the cool thing is that we have a lot more little ranches that we can visit to find new people. so it's really going to be fun hitch-hiking to the other ranchos. this area is only a branch and doesn't have a church house just a prayer house. that's cool!!!!! i didn't even know that those were still around.

 

so something that i have been wanting to know is when did the word of wisdom stop being a word of advice and start being a commandment?? i still don't know that answer.

 

well I've got to go.  hope you all have a great week

 

love ELDER PACK

Tough Investigators - Sister Pack

So I am finally feeling old in the MTC. The advanced class that came in with us left this week, and I am halfway done with my stay at the MTC! Crazy how time flies when you are learning! So I will tell you guys about our investigators that we have [they are our teachers] Gedeon and Graciello. Half the time I don't understand what is coming out of their mouths but hey its a part of life. lol So Gedeon is SOOOO hard he literally drives me nuts!! He hasn't been keeping his commitments and so we are trying to find a way to help him keep his commitment. The spirit is strong in every lesson though and Hermano Tidwell can't deny that although Gedeon acts like he doesn't care lol. one time during our lesson with him he told us he would pray at the end. So we thought him how to pray and everything then at the end he said he would rather have us do it. I felt the spirit so strongly tell me "open your mouth" as I opened my mouth I said some profound things that seriously didn't come from me. The holy ghost spoke through me. One of the best moments this far. I did feel really bad afterward though cuz i think i scared him... lol. He is a tough investigator but I remind myself that at least here we don't have to work for our investigators lol.

 

Elder Scott came this week! and he talked about how to be a true disciple of Christ! soooo awesome!! seriously every time I hear a apostle bear their testimony there is no denying it. The best quote I heard from him all night was a contrite person is someone who follows the spirit no matter what. I am trying to be that contrite spirit! He also told the Elders to watch the sister missionaries because they could learn a lot from us. That was really nice of him. Well I know that I don't have a lot to say this week other than the food is starting to get to me and that its starting to get cold! I am running everyday with my companion ( who rocks!) especially at running and keeps me in shape! One thing that happened this week that was way cool is that we were reading the BOM as a district in espanol. I decided not to pull out my english scriptures and just try to translate from what I knew. I came to a verse that I understood completely it is when Nephi partakes of the fruit and tells us that he was desirable of all. I hope that we all can be like him and partake of the fruit daily because Christ suffered so we could have it all without end. The one thing that is cool about being a missionary is that when you teach simple truths you find so much joy in those simple joys (the fruit) and you want to share it with everyone you know. I love this work and know that it is of God.  I have felt many times as I teach Gedeon and other investigators. I know that Christ died for each of us and all we need to do is partake by repenting.

                                                 Love you all, Hermana Pack

Good Food in Mexico....Elder Pack

hello, my family!!!!!! and others that might be reading this,

well I'm glad that people are taking my advise and writing the poor sister missionary in the mtc.  it really helps a person from not going crazy in that small place.

so the weirdest thing just happened.  our mission just received dvd players... i see so many problems with this plan because our mission already suffers from missionaries not following a lot of rules. also the fact that we are in Mexico and Mexico is number 1 for pirated movies (from what i understand that is). sorry i know i didn't know how to spell well before the mission and now it is even worse hahaha. so from what i understand, all the missions in the world are getting them but who knows that could just be a rumor. it seems that the church trusts us missionaries a little to much.

this week we had interviews with the president. he was actually on time to the interviews this time (the last time he didn't show up until like 5 or 6 and they were to start at 3) so we were happy because it let us go to our late appointments which were the most important ones of the day. we keep talking to less active people and keep hearing the same thing. that they're not ready to come back and that they really don't have a reason for not going to church...their just being "lazy". i really don't believe that.  sometimes they just don't want to tell us what is the real problem. also sometimes we find out that they don't want to go back because they are going to another church and they don't feel like loosing all their friends from that church. i don't really like that response because it always leads us to telling them that if they don't come back to the only true church of God they will not see there Father again, and then they get mad. but i like the times when we talk to them, share a scripture, and they feel the need to come back to the church.  it's really the coolest.

so mom wants to know what we do on Sundays and what types of food i have eaten and also what i haven't liked.

so Sundays all we really get to do now is wake up, plan for the week, study, maybe pass by our investigators if we have any, be at church a little before 12, then maybe teach the gospel principles class if our mission leader didn't show up, then sometimes we may also teach the priesthood lesson if the elder's quorum teacher hasn't shown up, then after church we go the the sisters house to eat.  once we're done there, we go back to the house to change our suits and pick up the PMG for district meeting. our president changed everything to sunday for some reason it doesn't make 100% sense to me because sunday is a great day for preaching. oh so that is basically my sunday.

so some of the foods, well beans and tortillas are a given

but some foods i love green enchiladas, discada, gorditas, tacos de barbaqou (when they are not sold on tricycles, that's just to dangerous for me) also the carne (meat).

some that i don't know if i don't like but most won't like: tripas, and menudo, i haven't tried them but i don't think i will be liking them because i know what they are made of hahaha.

something cool that happened and really shows how important going to church is. this week some people broke into one of the churches here in Mexico and stole a lot of electric wiring 3000 dollars of it. so the stake called the area authority to ask what he should do and they said do everything possible to make sure that the church would be ready for Sunday meetings. so in one day the church fixed it all and it cost the church about 5000 dollars. it's crazy that the church would do that and also shows the importance of going to church. yet people here have all their really lame excuses on why they shouldn't or can't go to church.

also i forgot to mention that i have realized how important an education is from living here in Mexico. they drop out and start working in all sorts of low paying jobs thinking that that job will be fine for the rest of their lives. in my opinion it's not the smartest idea because they have a lot of problems because really no one here in Mexico is educated. also it makes me laugh that people complain about paying 500 dollars for college when in the states that would only pay for your books.

love you all and i hope that you all have a great week.

 love ELDER PACK

A Day In My Classroom - Sister Pack

Hi guys!

    So it's been another week in the MTC! Kind of crazy if you ask me. I feel like I am so old watching the "new kids on the block" come in on Wednesday.  My companion and I were outside for companionship study yesterday and watched all the missionaries come in. I thought to myself, did my face look that scared!? lol Anyways, the work is amazing, and it is so awesome to learn so much about Christ and his church. I am so grateful we had conference last week...it was amazing right!? My favorite was the guy who talked about teaching by the spirit instead of in front of the spirit or behind the spirit. ( he was the general Sunday school guy) any ways that is my two cents about conference.

    My weeks are pretty constant now that I am here. We go to class, sit in class, go to the cafeteria, sit in there, than back to the class room to study.  Luckily we have gym or I would seriously go crazy!!! So I decided today I would tell you about some things that happen in our class room so you get an aspect of my life.  At 7:00 am we start personal study which is always very quiet because we are still all asleep!!! Then we go to breakfast, come back, and we are all pretty ready for the day. We have been planning with our companions to teach our progressive investigators [our teachers] all in SPANISH!! We had to do this since the 3rd day.  Our progressive investigator "Gloria" thought Joseph smith ironed gold instead of received golden plates because we didn't use the right words! lol We have gotten a lot better, and I am able to testify of the priesthood and about how the church is right. Sometimes it can be hard though because the spirit is telling me to say something but I have no idea how to.  That is when being a foreign missionary is the hardest and you get down on your self. However we have an awesome district that helps pick you up. We are an interesting crowd. We have so much fun and are really loud... like you can hear us from the other side of the building, but we have many spiritual experiences together at the same time.

Some fun things we do are catch phrase/charades/ mumble game in Spanish. We also have the roca de verguerza [rock of shame] that is given to us when we speak English in front of the teachers. GUESS WHO GOT IT FIRST! ME!!! lol It was actually fun carrying a rock around to gym and lunch! lol We also watch Mormon messages at the end of every night before we go back to our rooms to help lighten our spirits. Mormon messages are truly inspired! We watched one that was very touching about Nie nie the girl who got in a plane crash and her face was burned.  I learned from her that no matter the circumstance, turn to Christ. Christ wants us close to him especially during times of trials. [the mtc] lol I know that as we all turn to Christ we all can be strengthened. That is what I teach every day, and I believe it with all my heart.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 " Fear not doubt not turn every thought to me." D&C

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       With Love, Hermana Pack

 

 

PS THANK YOU TO ALL THAT SEND ME DEAR ELDERS AND LETTERS IT LITERALLY MAKES MY DAY.

Elder Pack misses his bike!!

hello my family!!!! and my friends!!!!,

 

i hope that people are writing the misionera en la mtc, because she would love your support,  and it's fun receiving letters in the mtc.

 

also i think the lonely gringo in Mexico would like a letter or 2 because it gets lonely out here haha thank you. (¡¡¡¡dearelder even works for me!!!!!)

 

well this week was fun. we took splits and i went with elder perez. he is awesome to tell you the truth.  we had a fantastic time. But something i learned is that all the people i know that have played volleyball all these years haven't been playing it right. you are supposed to catch the ball pass it twice then throw it over the net.... haha it was funny to sit there watching some older ladies playing it and playing it wrong the entire time. was also funny to see some of the older ladies pull out some hat tricks to fool the other team hahaha. i also in this day found out how much i miss riding my bike. they ride bikes because their area is very big, and so i was able to borrow their bikes...it was fun. (but i miss my bike that didn't kill my butt because the seat is terrible, also my bike doesn't make me slouch to use and hurt my back.)

 

so this week i have been wondering how the Israelites, in the time before Christ's birth, had received the gift of the holy spirit if the higher priesthood had been taken away with Elijah the prophet. i still haven't figured that out yet and i want to know.

 

well family that's all.  i  love you all and hope that you all have a great week.

 

love ELDER PACK

Sister Pack's 1st Letter

So I am finally emailing you guys! crazy right!!!

Since mom and Dad dropped me off at the curb I have been hearing non stop Spanish from my sister "host" the one that shows you around to the teacher on the first day. When I first walked in and he was only speaking Spanish I was way worried because I thought they must have put me in advanced! I talked to the teacher and told him of the terrible mistake and that I should move down to beginning. My teacher in Spanish told me no because I understood too much and the speaking would come. That darn teacher!  I struggled through the first three days that felt like an eternity!! and through the first investigator; who spoke "no' English [who is our teacher]... I was seriously in tears quiet a few times but I made it through!!! and so grateful for that!  seriously if I have any suggestions for anyone...stick it out till Sunday. (when the eternity ends) and enjoy the rest because it goes by fast!!  I am surprised that my speaking ability has gotten so much better in this little bit of time! The lord really does bless you when you open your mouth for his cause. I can now say "Will you be baptized or I know that savior died for us and saved us through the atonement" however, I still can't say pass a napkin please lol. I figured that would come with time.

My first companion is Hermana Clark she is from Bountiful Utah. She and I could be no different in certain ways but so similar in others. I love her though! She keeps me grounded and I keep her crazy! lol She goes to BYU and is studying Wildlife conservation so every time we go outside she tells me about which plant is from what family. We have a great time!  Our district is small but so much fun! We have two elders and 4 hermanas. Our teacher must go crazy with us because we are all pretty giggly people [is that even a word?].  Any ways we finally had gym time and oh my goodness I could be no happier for gym! Being outside instead of in a small 10" room is glorious!! However we are now stuck inside because the weather has been bad!  It SNOWED! Yes you heard me right SNOWED! The outside field is closed, and I am very sad. I am also realizing I didn't really pack well enough for winter... which may be a problem.

Well I need to go unfortunately because time goes so fast when you have 30 minutes! Things that I love here is the spirit.  You can feel it when you are teaching the investigators or even when you are eating lunch. I know the gospel is of God, and His Son brought the plan out so we can all have a great life. He LOVES us so much that he bled for each of us. I am grateful for him to do that for me. I love you all.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               
Study his words share his gospel and endure to the end.  The New Hermana Pack