EFY in Mexico - Elder Pack (7/23 Letter)

Hello Family and Friends!

This week well we had some fun, we worked, and we had some divisions.

We started the week working hard, and we have found a family that is very interested in going to church and being baptized.  Carolina and Jorge are a couple that have a few needs very difficult to overcome. Jorge has many problems with the word of wisdom, and they are not married.  The good thing is they have seen the need to get married and to keep the word of wisdom.

They had their first EFY here in this part of Mexico.  The kids are all fortified right now.  We hope that 2 of the young men that went that aren’t members received a strong enough testimony to tell their parents that they want to get baptized and that they can share there testimonies with them so as to let them get baptized.  It’s interesting that EFY only existed in the states.  Mexico had their first convention of EFY like 2 years ago, and it has been slowly spreading to all of Mexico.  I feel as though I might have missed out by not going to EFY…ha ha!!

So I hope that everyone is well and that everyone has a great week.  I love you all!

ELDER PACK

Tribute to My Family - Sister Pack (7/23 Letter)

Hey!
  Sorry I haven’t written for a while! I have been busy, but I am loving the work, loving the people, and loving how much fun the mission has been.  Of course it has its hard moments, but man vale la pena! lol Anyways I am way happy.  That is the point! haha Today we had a great day! Honestly! We went to a festival they have here in Resistencia called Benial i think... and saw a bunch of sculptures. The people were working on their sculptures also!  It was a lot of fun! I will send pictures next week.

  Something I have been learning here in the mission is lots and lots of patience. I don’t know why but sometimes it is the hardest thing for me.  But as I wait patiently, I see God’s hand in all things. We are working with quite a few families.  Really amazing families, but it’s taking a lot of patience haha. But
Hermana Lopez and I have so much fun together, it makes every moment worth it!  We laugh all the time.

   BUT I wanted to talk about something that I have learned that is so precious to me.  Well, I knew before but even more now.. that is my family. Des wrote me one week about our family, and I just wanted to add to what she said. She said our family is one of the most Christ like family, and it is so true. Although we all have our differences, our life styles, our jobs, religions we all love each other.  I would have to give thanks to our amazing Grams for that.  You are one of the most amazing women in the world Grams.  Anyways I just wanted to say how much I love my family, and I am grateful I was raised so well by the whole tribe…all my aunts and grandma. I am lucky to say that my family is my best friends... haha.  Anyways well I got to go.  Love you guys.
                                                                                        Hermana Pack

Enduring the Hot Weather - Elder Pack (7/16 Letter)

Hello Family and Friends,

So this week was a very interesting week to tell you the truth.  We have been teaching people but it seems that all don’t understand the reason why we are there.  We teach as clear as we can and well it doesn’t seem to be working.  So I think that we are going to have to let some people go and hope that in another day we find that they are more willing to listen and understand.

The heat is killer down here, but I’m glad not to be in Vegas were it’s even hotter hahahah (I miss Durango because it’s got really nice weather hahahaha).   So I was just telling mom about a talk from Elder Bednar that really amazed me.  It’s called the character of Christ.  He gave the talk at BYU Idaho and to tell you the truth it has marveled me a lot.  If you have time, I would suggest you read it because it will help you really understand one if if not the most important attribute of Jesus Christ.

So our companionship goes well.  My companion is a little quieter.  Well, I think to say this because he doesn’t talk much in the street hahaha.  But that is fine, I just got to force him out of his shell and help him talk more.  We have not had too many complications when it comes to teaching because he knows exactly what he wants to say (although I find myself talking most of the lesson hahahaha).  To this point we are getting along just great.

I hope that everyone has gone on mormon.org and created their profile.  It’s awesome to tell you the truth.  The church is giving us an opportunity to share our testimonies world-wide.  We can also see how this page can help our friends and family members learn and change.

Well, I don’t know what else I would like to say, so I’m going to stop there hahahah.  Love you all and hope that you all have a great week.

LOVE ELDER PACK

Sister Pack sends Pics - (7/10 letter)

Hi Family! 

     This week is going to be a small email sorry, but I wanted to correct the scripture I used last week.  It is Genesis 21:6. This week has been a week of work!  We have found two other families to teach and we are excited with all the work we have to do.  It feels like we can’t get it all done in one day sometimes. This week I have learned some really important lessons that have changed how I look at my whole mission. I am grateful for this time to serve and the time the Lord has given me to do this! Hope you guys enjoy the pictures!

                                                                                                        Love, Hermana Pack

In the New Area - Elder Pack (7/10 Letter)

Hello People,

How are we today?  I’m doing well, so I think maybe a little sad also for the loss of my other area…haha who knows.

This week went great.  My new companion and I are getting along just great.  We are teaching many people here.  I have gotten into one of the best areas for baptizing.  We are looking at baptizing 5 or more this change.  It is awesome to see people ready for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So this week I have learned about a new program that we shall be implementing in our mission.  We will no longer contact in any form and only teach the references that we get and also teach less active members.  They are trying to get the stakes and the districts to be stronger and be more efficient.  We also cannot do anything that isn’t outlined in our calling.  That means no more teaching classes and doing the work of the members hahaha.  It’s a very different plan that the apostles have come up with, but if anyone was thinking that maybe it wouldn’t work... it will, of course hahaha.  All of the stake presidents received the needed instructions for this new system and need to have the changes in place really soon.

Well, my family, I am enjoying my new area and the mission.

I hope that everyone has a great week and also that everyone has a chance to go on mormon.org and create a profile.
LOVE ELDER PACK

Transfer to Francisco I. Madero - Elder Pack (7/2 letter)

Hello people of the world.  How are you all??

So this week went well, but ended very sad for me.  We taught well and did all that we could to help people come unto Christ and that went well.  Tuesday my companion had a problem with his foot and well it made working a little harder on us.  We did what we could to find new people to teach, and it was a little hard.  Something that did go well was that the people we were teaching started to progress a little.  Maria wasn’t able to make it to church on Sunday due to the elections that they had here this Sunday, but she really had the desire to make it to church.  We worked well together, Elder Reed and I.  Sunday came and we had 3 people in church and well it was fantastic to tell you the truth.  We felt good. The sad thing was that only 37 people were there Sunday.  I don’t understand this to tell you the truth.  It was most likely due to the elections.  The worst thing that happened was today.  Last night I received the changes, and they took all of us out of Independencia.  I couldn’t believe they did that.  I was almost sure I would leave because I have been in this area for a while, but the other Elders didn’t have much time here. (I also wanted to stay there for one more change, but we can’t always get what we want…can we?)  We went to breakfast at our convert’s house this morning.  It was so hard to say goodbye, and is still hard for me for me to think that I am not in that area.  Last night we went to our ward mission leader’s house and ate dinner with him.  After dinner, a lot of people came over to take pictures with us, and it was a great time.  I can firmly say that it was the best area that I have had in my mission, and well, I love many of the people that I came to know in that ward.

So I’m in Francisco I Madero now with Elder Lopez. Francisco I. Madero is a city in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila.  I haven’t gotten to know Elder Lopez all that much yet, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get to know him.

Well this is all that I have time for.  I love you all and hope that you have a great day.

LOVE,

ELDER PACK

9 Months - Sister Pack (7/2/12)

So I tried really really hard to send you guys pictures today, but I have wasted lots of time and it’s not going to work! BUT I am officially vieja in the mission!  That is the weirdest feeling in the world!  I feel like I have tons to learn, but some good news came my way today! Remember Tamara from my first area…our miracle?  She got baptized, and she is so excited!  Unfortunately I couldn’t go to her
Baptism, but man does it make me feel good to know she is really happy!

We had transfers this week and I have the same companion!  Well one of them! haha Hermana Lopez and I stayed together! We have a few families, con quien estamos trabajando. Richard from Haiti and the Smith family. Also we are still working with Ruben the Abogado.  We are excited and feel like they are getting closer to their answers.  They are progressing well!

Today we went to a meteorite!  Well, it was really like a rock but there is a circus in town (In our area) maybe we will try to contact people there! haha jkjk.  So being a Vieja in the mission, we are supposed to give advice to the newbies.  My advice is found in Genesis 6:21.  I believe  Sara says to Abraham…God made me to laugh so people will laugh with me.  That is the one thing that has been the greatest blessing in my mission. I have been able to laugh at every situation or something in every situation. That is my advice for all.  Find the joy in the tribulations and in the good times and laugh because God made us to laugh so people can enjoy our presence.

Well, I am going to try to send a few pictures more and hope you enjoy the pictures.  The one with the stadium was of the Argentina vs. Brazil game.  Cool, no?!!  There are blessings to being in my area.  We
passed by and Argentina was winning of course! haha.  The other pic is also the normal picture of Hermanas 9 months out! hahaha.

Love, Hermana Pack