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, September 26, 2016

General Conference Prep

Hey y'all,

I hope you've all had a good week! This week was also super quick, but we had a lot of good things happen in it. The Cuevas got confirmed which was awesome and we had an amazing conference of zone, it was great! Presidente Torres is a really inspired man, very in tune with the spirit and very intelligent. We learned a lot of things from him this last week, but for this letter I just focus on one major one.

He talked about studying. We study every day as missionaries, but some studies are more effective than others. He told us that the key to having a good study is to have a question. Go in to every gospel study with a question, because that's when you will receive the revelation. It's not a bad thing to read through the scriptures cover to cover; you still receive revelation and are in tune with the spirit. However it is better to study with a question and a purpose. So my purpose recently has been to learn more about Jesus Christ and the ways that I need to improve to become more like Him.

Likewise with General Conference coming up, it is much better to have a question than just to listen. This is a time for Apostles and Prophets to tell us what God wants the whole world to hear, and in such a time we can receive the answers to any question that we have, as long as we ask it first. John 16:24 says: "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: askand ye shalreceive.." So, we need to ask!! 

I love you guys a lot, and hope that you have a wonderful week and wonderful general conference!! 

Elder Packer 

1. Gold Plates BOM that a member down here has
2. Visitor we had on our car



Monday, September 19, 2016

The Alex Family

Hello!!

I hope yall are having a spectacular week, I've really enjoyed mine. I don't have a lot of time, but there are two main events from this last week. 

The first one, we had a "Noche Mexicana" on Friday for the Mexican day of independence. It was a lot of fun, my district and two other elders sang at it and it was a blast. 

The second and more important was that two sisters in my district had a baptism this week!! It was awesome, the Cuevas family took the dive and entered into the covenant of baptism, aided by Elder Fielding and myself. We call them the Alex family as a nickname because the Dad's name is Alejandro and the Mom's name is Alejandra, and they both go by Alex, and they have an older son named Alex that lives in Idaho, another named Danny, a younger son named Alex that was baptized with them, a daughter named Alcestis, a son named Aaron who was also baptized with them, and then Alexandra who is 2, and their 2 week old, Axle. It was a really spiritual baptism, they've been preparing for 2 years with the sisters, and it was amazing to see them finally take the leap. 

That was really it for this week, I love you guys a lot, have a wonderful week!!

Elder Packer 

1. Baptism
2-3. The party 
4. Homies in the branch





Monday, September 12, 2016

Con Valor Marchemos

Querridos hermanos y hermanas,

I hope you all had a great week, this week was really fun and awesome here in Laredo. My companion and I have been teaching a lot of people, the members are awesome, and we're having a lot of progress as an area and as a district. The sisters are hoping to baptize a family they have been working with for a really long time this sunday, so please pray for the Cuevas family! They were supposed to get baptized two weeks ago on Saturday, but she ended up going into labor hahaha so it was postponed. But they're looking really set to be baptized this week, so keep that in your prayers.

Today I just wanted to talk about music a little bit. There's a talk by Uncle Boyd called "Inspiring Music-Worthy Thoughts" and it talks about how we can acheive self-mastery by listening/singing uplifting and worthy music. It's something that I definitely struggled with before the mission, but it's something I intend to strive to do even after the mission. I encourage yall to look it up, its pretty good. 

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

Elder Packer 

 1. Sister Kindall's 22nd birthday
2. A dog we ran terrified by walking up to the door
3. District noodles hahaha 
4. Drum off with me and Sister Castro
5. Wating for the next branch to start