If anyone is feeling sad, stop. Forget about yourself. The only times we really are sad are when we're thinking about ourselves.
When we focus on others, that's when happiness comes. Everything is a choice. Literally. Everything.

Monday, August 31, 2015

Week 4 Transfer 7

Hey everyone!!

This week went by really fast, I don't really know how to describe it. Tuesday we had district meeting as usual, Then we went on an exchange on Thursday, so I had another day on a bike! Hahaha I actually really enjoy the bike days, it's pretty fun and it feels like the day goes by a bit faster on a bike, the car can get a bit boring sometimes. Then on Saturday we had an exchange with the ZLs and I went up to work in the area of plantation, probably the richest area in the mission. It was definitely a change from what I'm used to. Huge huge huge houses. We went to the "gym" to work out in the morning, but it's actually just a member's garage. However, it could be a gym. They had a ton of equipment, it was crazy. And super fun.

Then later that day we had Zone Roleplays, and went to lunch, then blitzed the area of some sisters that haven't been able to work basically all week because one of them is super sick. So that was pretty cool. After that we went and worked in the ZL area, and that was fun, and for the end of the night we had an adventure with the APs; we were gonna meet at a gas station at 8:45 to trade back in the exchange, and then we got a call from the APs that they needed the ZLs to interview a family of 5 right then. So...well, it was a long story, but I ended up chilling with Elder Cruz at the gas station for a while and then finally got home a bit late. But that's why we have repentance;)

It was a pretty crazy day, and then the next day we had a ton of miracles. It was the last Sunday of the month, so the last day to hit the baptismal goal as a Zone and as a mission. And we ended up actually outdoing both haha. There were a lot of crazy miracles that happened, including a Skype from a recently returned sister missionary from Chile for someone to get baptized. Pretty nuts day hahaha. Miracles really do happen. Anyways, that's all for the week, I hope you all have a wonderful day and week! And once again, I apologize for not having pictures haha next week for sure.

I Love you All!!

Elder Packer


Monday, August 24, 2015

10 Meses!!!

Buenas!!!

So this last week I hit my 10 month mark, that's kinda cool. Only 14 more to go!;) I still don't feel like I've been out for too long....anyways!

This last week went by super fast! My comp had 3day training with President and all the leadership in the mission, so I was sent to work with Las Milpas on bikes for all 3 days....bike areas. Hahahaha I had a blast, I'm definitely glad I'm in a car area, but it was a lot of fun riding a bike around all day for most of the week. We talked to a lot of cool people and found some pretty good investigators.

After that I only really worked in my own area for really like Saturday and Sunday, and that was good, our actuals rocked and we found a family we are hoping to baptize soon. Along with them, we have the Rodriguez family who we've been working with for a while, and he finally got the divorce papers mailed to him so he sent them to his ex wife and should be getting an appointment with the judge really soon so that he can marry his current wife and they can be baptized!! Yay!!! We just hope the judge doesn't take forever or schedule the appointment out too far. We also have Nancy and she is super cool, her and her six year old son came to church yesterday and they are awesome. She's kinda shy but she's really willing to do what God wants her to and should be getting baptized on the 6th of September. And then the week after we hopefully have Armando getting baptized, he's a really grumpy/sarcastic old guy, but Elder De Piano and I both can totally see him being that guy in the ward that gives all the kids a hard time but they all love him for it because it's funny haha. He's great hahaha.

Anyways, yesterday we taught a pretty in depth lesson about patriarchal blessings to a family in the ward, and I was thinking that I'd like to send out the challenge for everyone that's gotten their patriarchal blessing to really study it one day this week, and see if you can crossrefference any scriptures with some of the promised blessings or commandments or anything! And for those that don't have it yet, I'd invite you to really start thinking about getting it. It's awesome to have scriptures directly to and for you from God!!

That's about it for this week, I hope you guys all have a wonderful week!! I love you!

Elder Packer






Monday, August 17, 2015

Hidalgo!!!

Buenos dias!!! Espero que este dia esta bien para todos!!

I'm back down in the Valley! My new companion is Elder de Piano, and we serve in the Hidalgo ward, spanish speaking. It's fantastic, there's a lot of great people down here, and our investigators are great! One family has been to church 6 times now and is just waiting for some legalities to go through and then they'll be baptized as soon as that happens. They're amazing, they're the family Rodriguez and the wife is a Zumba instructor, so that's what we do for exercise on Mondays hahaha I was having a blast!! So much Spanish club music, it was hilarious, I couldn't stop smiling the whole time hahahaha. But yeah, they're amazing:)

It has been a really long week trying to get to know everyone, but I'm still in a car area, that's good, I'm speaking Spanish again, which I've missed, and I still love the gospel. My companion is great, I don't have a picture with him on my camera, but one of our members gave him a selfie stick...so we have a lot of pics together on his camera haha. I'll try and get one soon. For now, just enjoy the ones I've taken the last couple weeks, some are of them are with my last district (who I love a ton!!:)) so here you go!! I hope you all have a great week!! I Love you!1

Elder Packer






Monday, August 10, 2015

Transfers...?

Hey everyone, hows it going?

This past week flew by, just like the rest of them haha. Tuesday seemed to drag on because we didn't have district meeting, due to the sisters being in McAllen for a Sister Meeting with all the sisters in the mission. So we had that full day to work, and had some pretty fun experiences with members and people in Sandia. Great stuff, it was fun. Then we had District Meeting on Wednesday, as well as district lunch, and Friday we had pizza night with the Seals. They're super great, I love them. But the best part of all week was yesterday.

Yesterday our 3 companionships in the district brought 8 investigators to church. That is really a miracle, especially here in Beeville. One guy actually just walked in to church, the sisters hadn't met him or seen him ever before, and he is really cool, big black guy named Tim, really pure heart and genuinely good guy haha. Elder Padron and I brought Gomeda to church (finally!!!!!) and she is a pure miracle. She's shown it all week.

She's had all sorts of signs that we are the church she needs to be going to, and we called her Friday to see if we could go by on Saturday, and she told us that she was having a really hard time with her mom being in the hospital and the nursing home and that a lot of things were not going her way, but that God wanted her to go to church so she could overcome her challenges she's facing right now, and that he wanted her to give up smoking and drinking as well so she could have a clean vessel (#supernaturalfan). That was a real miracle because we hadn't taught her the Word of Wisdom yet.

Then on Saturday we stopped by and taught her the 5 points of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the word of Wisdom, and when she came to church she used the 5 points as an answer in Gospel Principles, and told us she didn't drink any coffee that morning even though it was pretty hard to get up, but she knows that's what the Lord wants. Elder Padron and I have had so many experiences with her, I can't even tell you. I'm so glad that I've been able to be a part of her conversion, and I hope that everything continues to go well, and also that I'm here for her baptism. She's so awesome. I could go on about her for like another hour and how she's been helping us to work with her family and some more of her experiences, but that would take too long haha.

Outside of those things, today we're just waiting on transfers to see if anyone will leave, and who. I don't think I'm leaving, but most of the district thinks I am. I really don't want to. But whatever happens happens, I'm still a missionary for another year and 3 months haha.

I would send you guys some more pictures, but once again, I left my camera cord.........sorry! For sure I'll send yall some pictures next week. I love everyone of you, please have a great week and don't forget to pray!!
Love,

Elder Packer


Monday, August 3, 2015

La Ultima Semana de Transferencia 6

Hello!!

So this week is the last week of my sixth transfer. I still feel like a greenie, but the joke in my district is that I'll be getting a greenie of my own next transfer. I don't think so, but we'll see what the Lord has in store. 

This last week has gone by really fast! I don't really know what happened except that we had an exceptional lesson with one of our investigators named Gomeda. She is going through a lot right now, but she got a really spiritual confirmation that Elder Padron and I are good people and then that was confirmed in the fact that we're the only religious people she's talked to that have actually kept with her, and her life has been made better through the things we've taught. Pretty cool stuff actually, she said she had a vision similar to Joseph Smith's, and I know for sure that she will be baptized this month. I just hope I'm here to see it happen!

Outside of that, I don't have a lot of other things to say; I finished the Miracle of Forgiveness (so good, I highly recommend it) and today is Elder Madrigal's last P-Day in the mission, so we're down here in Robstown to reminisce and have a barbeque haha. I love Elder Madrigal, he's freaking awesome. That's about it, so I have a bunch of pictures for you guys since last time I left my camera cord at home! Hope you enjoy! I love you all!

Elder Packer

1. Us at the Lougney's helping them with their yard
2.Me and Elder Padron right before an insane storm hit George West
3. Me and Elder Cruzito on our birthday
4.The storm cloud that was in George West