Baptism, Interview, Sabbath, Changes(Transfers), Cerrito... Oh My! (LOTS OF UPDATES- Fotos Too!)

12/7/2015 - What Lack I Yet?

So this week has been a super interesting experience for me as I have been pondering all the things that I could do better. I have been doing a lot of thinking about the law of consecration that we have as members of the church. It's not something that we have simply in a monetary sense --we have been given it as the opportunity to encompass all aspects of our lives. I love that if we all live this law and give our best effort we will never have to ask what could I have done better.

This is from a conference of Elder Uchtdorf-
“Sometimes we think that those we help are the ones who receive the greatest blessings, but I am not so sure,” President Uchtdorf shared with the audience. “Something happens within us as we extend ourselves to others. We become more refined, more charitable, more humble. Our hearts become more receptive to the Spirit, and the windows of heaven can be opened to us.”

I want to invite all of you to study D&C 88: 77-79 and think about  what the doctrine of the kingdom is. I could tell you but I think that you can all find that for yourselves. I can only tell you that I have a testimony that if we all live this that the world would be a very different place and the people would  be a lot happier.

I had an amazing impression this week. We were passing an elderly woman that was herding her sheep, as we passed by we said good afternoon. Her reply wasn't something that screamed for us to go and contact her, but as I continued walking the spirit whispered to me, "remember the shepards." As I pondered that thought I found myself turning around--- I've never felt the spirit so strong in contacting as we talked about the birth of Jesus Christ. I love this new initiative!!

I really love you all and hope that you are having a great holiday and that you are feeling the spirit of Christmas in your hearts. I love this time of year when all thoughts turn to our Savior and redeemer.

Sincerely,
Elder Packham
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11/30/15 - Cerrito 1

So I have officially moved from cuidad to pueblo and I love it!!! I can't help but think about growing up in a small town ---its so nice to be out in the open air (choking on the dust, sometimes haha) The town is small but I believe that there is huge potential here that hasn't been realized just yet. Things here have been interesting -- its like my companion and I are both learning the área so we will see what we can find here in this lovely Little town.

So this week I have spent a lot of time studying service and how it relates to us as a law of god. Something that I cant get over is that we have so many things that relate to service in the góspel. I invite you to find something in the góspel that invites you to do something that wouldn't benefit someone else. I could bet that you wont find something that cant be applied one way or another to helping other people.

An experience I want to share----is something that I learned before the misión that made a huge impact in why I am here today. When we serve we feel good! It's that simple! When we serve we change the perspective that we have and we can and will feel better. I learned that in institute--the more that I served, the less worried I was with all the things that I had to do and the better I did the things that I had to do when it was time to do it.

When we serve others we experiment on chapter 11 of Matthew verses 28-30. We are given the opportunity to see for ourselves how easy His burden really is. I want to invite you all to read the Psalm that is referenced in these verses and think about what its promising us if we apply the principle of service in our lives.

I really love all of you I hope that you know and can feel that. I write these letter not for just one more thing to do Monday but hoping that you are reading applying and progressing with these spiritual messages.

Con todo cariño,
Elder Packham

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11/23/2015 - Changes (Transfers)

I;d like to start by asking you all to pray for my brother I don't know how many of you know but he is in the hospital right now and could use all the love and support that you can give him. I love him a bunch and right now he's going through a hard time so all I can ask you all to do is be with him through your prayers.

So its that time again for us to see what the Lord has in store for us. I think this time is always interesting for missionaries because we really don't know how to feel before or after our changes. When we get to our new areas we start working like we know how to do but its always an interesting experience. I will be going to an area called cerrito 1 and Elder Saldivar will be staying here. My companion asked me the other day how I felt about my work here in this area and I said with confidence that I feel good about the work that I have done here.

Something that I want you to do is to think about the impact that you are making in the work of salvation in your area. I want to testify to you that you can be missionaries like those guys with a name tag all you have to do is share what you believe with those around you. I have had special experience with the Holy Ghost when he tells me to talk to someone in the street and I do it. I'm not saying that they will accept what you have to say what I'm saying is that you will have a special experience with the spirit because you did what he asked and he will continue talking to you. How often do we receive impressions like this but we pass it over saying that it isn't anything?

This week we had a really cool experience with a member that was helping us with a visit. We got to the home of the investigator like we always do but the investigator wasn't there like sometimes happens, so what did we do? We went contacting with this member and his wife! We started talking to a gentleman but something really special happened a women passed by us that was a friend of our member so they started talk, we said good bye to the gentleman and went with this lady. Before you knew it we were teaching a lesson in the home of this lady and she came to church this week!

MEMBERS CAN DO MISSIONARY WORK!!!!

I love you all with all my heart, pray for my brother,
Elder Packham
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11/16/2015 - Baptism

So what can I tell you about this week! We had the joy to baptism part of the Chacon family so I hope that you know that all those that prayed for them those prayers were answered. I really love this family they are so strong and I don't have any doubt that they will continue strong and firm in the gospel.

This week I have been pondering the Hymn 221 "Dear to the Heart of the Shepard" I have been so touched by these words as I think about my own call and amazing opportunity that I have to help Him in this work. I know that I might be here for a little while but I will not act like a hirling I will be a Shepard. I want to invite you all to study the words of this hymn I can not help but feel the love the He has for me and all those members that have lost there way.

4. Green are the pastures inviting;
Sweet are the waters and still.
Lord, we will answer thee gladly,
"Yes, blessed Master, we will!
Make us thy true under-shepherds;
Give us a love that is deep.
Send us out into the desert,
Seeking thy wandering sheep."

I think that the Lord wants us to learn how to love. Not a superficial love but how He would love those that we serve. What He is asking is that we change, and we will independent of that invitation, what we decide is how much we change.

I don't have a lot to say this week I just want to invite you to read this hymn and think about what you can do to help your brothers and sister come back to the fold. I would love to hear your comments. I really do love you all and hope that you are experiencing all the joy that the gospel offers.

Love,
Elder Packham
Foto: The baptism they aren't smiling but they are happy I promise.

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11/9/2015 - My Sabbath Day

What is the Sabbath day? You could put a profound definition on that or say that it was a day in which the Jews reverenced by strict observance to a code of conduct, or you could simply say that it is the Lords day. But what is the Sabbath day to each and everyone of you? We had the amazing opportunity to see our attendance double in our sacrament meeting this week and 7 of our investigators made it to church (they were even early). It was our fast and testimony meeting (where we can share our testimonies).

I was sitting there in the church thinking about all the less active members that we helped come to church that week and I couldn't help but think about the sacrament. They started the ordinance and I wanted to do something that would better help me focus on my Savior Jesus Christ and I went to my bible. I was looking at all the scriptures that I had marked about repentance through out my mission and thinking about why we take the sacrament. I found a scripture that really spoke to me that I later shared in my testimony its in Mathew 9:12-13 Its when the pharisees are talking to Christ and "ask the question" about why he spends his time with sinners and publicans. His response was how I feel about the church and all of us. We come to church because we need this medicine we need to partake and the bread and water and truly repent of what we may have done during the week.

I know that I'm not perfect and I know that I have a long way to go but I know that every week I go to church and really think and put my trust in the Lord that I can change. I love you all and I hope that you all know how great a gift it is to participate in the sacrament every week. I hope that this week you might read about repentance and the Savior as you participate in the bread and water. I hope that doing this it might change this ordinance for you like it has for me.

I love Sunday its the lords day and I hope that you will all be able to enjoy it as much as I do. The scripture that has captured my attention and will have me thinking is Ezekiel 44:23-24 I invite you all to ponderize this scripture this week and share with me what you think.

Con mucho amor,
Elder Packham 😁👔

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11/2/2015 - Fotos

Our zone without the sisters (sorry kind of)
Our inactive that started coming to church again ( recieved melchezedik priesthood)
FHE we had with our investigators and a family in the ward

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11/2/15 - Interview

When was your last interview with our lord Jesus Christ? For you member I would hope that it was last week and something that you are doing every week. Its something so special that we have the ability to do this, every week we can know how we stand with our older brother Jesus Christ and god our eternal father. This week my companion and I have had the opportunity to ask the baptismal questions to our investigators and see how prepared they are to take the name of Jesus Christ upon them.

I want to share with you all that during these interviews the spirit is almost palpable in the air as you hear them share there sincere testimonies about these gospel truths. One sister we were interviewing shared with us how she had lost one of her babies before it was born and you could see the sadness in her eyes. It was something that she hadn't shared with us before. I was able to bear a powerful testimony about the experience of my mother and I found in this moment a testimony that I didn't know I had about babies that return to our heavenly father before there time.

With one of our other investigators we were able to see how much she needed to repent and feel free of the load that she has been carrying most of her life. She began to cry as she shared that she needed to be clean and new. I will never forget this special moment we had with this sister. I want you all to know that you can repent and change your lives. I love you all so much.

I would love to hear from all of you the moments when you all found your testimonies. It could be about anything from prayer to tithing anything but do you have a moment or story about how you found that testimony.

Also I would invite you all to read DC 20:37 its one verse I invite you to think if you are prepared to be baptized?

Please pray for: Josefina, Romina, Itza, Aldo, Martin, Cinthia, Camilla, Gabriel, Mylin, Mary Cruz

Con todo mi corazon,
Elder Packham
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10/26/15- Repentance

My companion and I have been study the doctrine of Christ: Faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. I have been impressed by how interrelated all of these principles are something that was really amazing to me was repentance and enduring to the end. Something that I saw was that if we expect to endure to the end we must expect and use repentance in our lives every day.

I found some scriptures that I would really like to share with you all. The first one is because so often we hear that we have failed or that we continue to fail what is the point of even trying. I want to tell you all that its a trap that Satan is trying to use against you. The scripture is in Proverbs 24:16 "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again:but the wicked shall fall into mischief." In this what really brought my attention was about the what it takes to be a just man its not that he doesn't fall its that he keeps getting up. Just keep trying that's all that He asks of us.

On the other hand sometimes we encounter people that say that we don't need to repent or that they are fine without that. I would like you all to look at 1 john 1:7-9. I love that if we are are walking in the light we will realize that we must repent and that we have faults. I want to tell you that the lords lights will illuminate our flaws not to discourage us but to help us be better.

I would like to ask you to pray for Itza, Aldo, Josefina, Romina, Cinthia, Camilla, Gabriel and our area. Please if you can :)

I love you all and I invite you all to put this divine principle into practice,
Elder Packham

10/12 & 10/19 Updates - Endure to the End and Divine Potential

10/19/15
So as missionaries something that we see a lot of is people that are still learning how to endure. To endure means many things but more than anything is that it doesn't matter what is going on they are going to stay firm. I have been spending more of my time pondering my studies and ways that I could make my studies better. So I want to share with you some of the scriptures of which I have been pondering in regards to this concept of enduring to the end.

First I want to share with you the story of the 2000 stripling warriors and there captain Helaman. Something that Helaman said has truly resonated in me about these 2000 youth. In the scripture he says that they are my sons but makes the comment about its because they are worthy to be called his sons. Its something that I think I have read a bunch of times but in this moment it really hit me. What am I doing so that I could be worthy to be called his son? We make choices every day but how many of those choices at least have the idea of showing him that we are his children. 

Second scripture is in 2 nephi 31: 14-20. Some things in these scriptures really stood out to me that I want to share with you. The first is 16 in this verse I couldn't help but be drawn back to chapter 38 in Alma when he is talking to his son Shiblon there is something that we all must do to keep growing closer to him. WE MUST STRIVE TO BE LIKE CHRIST. Its something that is so hard but so possible for us. I also was drawn to the story of the rich young ruler, what am I doing to leave all that I have to serve him what fault I today? 

Another of the scriptures that I fell in love with in the chapter was verse 2nefi 31:19 he asks a rhetorical question that struck me to the core, "Is all done?" I know for a fact that I might be here on the mission but I could do more. I want to invite you to think about what more you could do?
I had another talk this last Sunday and chose to talk about conversion and missionary work. I hope that you all are converted or are in the process of conversion and taking part in this great work.
I love you all so much,
Elder Packham
PS - Forgot my camera whoops next week!!

10/12/15 - Our Divine Potential & Invitation

I have been meditating a lot about the commandments and what they mean to me. I was reading today thinking about why we keep commandments. I couldn't help but think about a chapter that I had found this week its in proverbs 4: 1-13. 23-27 

 
That's just a few of the verses that stood out to me. As I read this chapter I couldn't help but think about my loving heavenly father feel as if he was talking to me directly. I want to share with you how much I love you and how I have a testimony that he love each and every one of you. I truly stand all amazed that he loves us enough to give us these protections. Something that I have learned as missionary is that each and every one of us must understand and find for ourselves the reasons for what we do. This week I have taught about the love of a mother about every lesson because I think it is those mothers that truly understand the love of the Savior. I know how many times my mother has given me a mothers commandment that I have disregarded or ignored and how always I end up saying that she knew what she was talking about. I will be trying to avoid that same response with my father in heaven I don't want to have to humbly kneel before him and say that I wish I would have listened.

Another scripture that I found that helped me to understand my divine potential and why heavenly father is asking me to do these things is in Psalms 100:3. 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
It is god that has made us and who continues to make us every week of our lives. We didn't just happen to live, to breath and to die. We were made with a specific purpose and are here on earth to complete that purpose. 

I love you all and hope that you are studying and pondering the scriptures looking to learn not to just read. I can testify that you will find him in those words as you read them and that by finding him you can come to find yourselves. 

Elder Packham
Pictures

We didn't have lights in our house for 2 days
Its a custom here to smash faces in cakes on birthdays ( I was saved this year)

General Conference

So what did you do during General Conference?? This week was an amazing revelatory week for me I learned so many things and I am so excited to learn more things about this gospel. We have been working to help our ward in any way that we can to improve the spirit of the ward and that has been interesting. We also had the opportunity to hear from our zone leaders and receive an exhilorating training. Then to finish this week we were able to hear from our beloved prophet and apostles. 

First I would like to touch on the amazing training that we had. I hope that those of you who saw conference will see how inspired this training was. We were talking about commandment and started by talking about how we feel as we keep the commandments. Do you enjoy keeping the commandments? Why do you keep the commandments? I want to tell you that got me thinking.. What is my attitude as I keep the commandments and do I really understand why I am keeping them.

There are many reasons that we can do the commandments but to keep the commandments in the way the lord wants can only be done through love. I want to love the commandments and profoundly understand why we have them. Something that I have been pondering is the story of the man that finds the treasure in the field and buys its. I cant help but wonder about the person that had owned the land before why hadn't he found it. I have come to the conclusion that its because he was tilling the ground superficially and wasn't really looking to fulfill his duty. How often do we work superficially and not see profoundly?

Secondly as our beloved prophet said so simply in the priesthood session of this general conference, Keep the Commandments. I love this message it was simple, bold, but requires so much of us. I know that we can do the commandments but to really keep them will ask of us our time our faith and our understanding. I want to invite you all to study the talks from this general conference and see the beautiful harmony that it has with our prophets of old.

I would like to encourage you all to study the talk from Elder Maynes and think about what your are willing to sacrifice for this gospel. Do you know that eternal life has more worth than any worldly thing that we can find here.

I love you and hope that you can all feel that as I write you.

Elder Packham

A couple more pictures

So this week in the life of Elder Packham

So this week.. I've been pondering what I want to write to you all about this week and have decided to talk to you about what and I decided that today I would talk about member missionaries. I know that it seems like a large task to share with your friends, family and neighbors but I can testify that it is so much better than not sharing this great message that we have in our day. 

I was reading in the Book of Mormon in Alma this week and seeing such amazing examples of what we can do as missionary/converts to the word of god. Are you converted to the lord? How can you demonstrate that you are converted? One thing that I have learned here in Alma is that if we are really converted we have the strength, courage and boldness to share this message with others. In Alma 19: 33-36 we see a great example of this. I know that we can do it! It will not be easy that is the adversary trying to get us to stop sharing this amazing message that we have. Keep trying the lord is testifying right along side of you. I love you all and I know that each and everyone of you is capable of sharing this message with at least one other person this week. I want to invite you all to share this message with at least one new person this week and write me telling me how it went, I will do the same I promise you that. 

What to do before you share this message with someone in your life? I would have to say that you should be praying for this moment and the person that the lord wants you to teach. By praying you will be prepared in the moment to act conforming to what the lord wants of you. Two scriptures I would like you to read to help you prepare are: DC 42:61, DC 62:3. As you read these two scripture I hope that you will realize that you don't need to know everything to share the gospel. You just have to have it in your heart and share that with those around you. 

I want to ask you all to pray for the Chacon Family: Romeo, Josefina, Romina, Itza, Aldo, Naya. As well for the Reyes family in especially, Gael Salvador Reyes Molina, who is a 12 year old boy battling cancer again (hes been fighting since he was 5) 

This is my letter for this week I love you all. 👔😁📜

Elder Packham

More Pictures

Visitors center

1 Romeo, Josefina, Romina

2 Itza, Aldo, Naya

3 There family from another mission I cant remember the name of whoops

Niche Mexicans

So this week was super interesting it was Independence day here in good ole mexico so of course its time to party! Missionary translation we have to be in our houses 3 hours early to avoid all the party! But it was still super fun we had a shaving cream fight (that's the best translation of what it is but it isn't exactly shaving cream) and we took our mustaches and went to see if we could see the fireworks. Unfortunately we couldn't see any but it was funny to try it out. We also were able to have interviews with president which was really great to talk to him about what we hope to accomplish in our mission and what plans and goals we have.

I have been studying a talk by Elder Packer entitled, The Candle of the Lord. In this talk it speaks as if to missionaries but it applies to everyone. There is a difference in knowing something as knowledge and having it written in your hearts. I know that the church is true not because I have intellectually debated it out in my mind but I know because I can feel it in my heart. I want to encourage you all to look to feel that these things are true for the first time or like its your first time. Something that I really liked from Elder Packer was when he said, The Spirit and testimony of Christ will come to you for the most part when, and remain with you only if, you share it. In that process is the very essense of the gospel.

Is not this a perfect demonstration of Christianity? You cannot find it, nor keep it, nor enlarge it unless and until you are willing to share it. It is by giving it away freely that it becomes yours.

It has really helped me this week as we meet with some opposition to the work here in this area. We have an investigator that is strongly Christian who constantly says that we are blaspheming but we were able to help him to start reading the Book of Mormon. He made it two pages before his "research" clouded out the message of the book. He came prepared with a 10 page written review of the book he had read two pages of. It was hard to sit there and listen to him laugh and attack the things that we held so dear but what I found so special that it didn't change the way I felt about the book. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that I don't need to find where is every city to know that the words and teaching in the book are the words of god. I bore my testimony fervently that I know these things are true and though he laughed repeatedly in my face in my heart I felt a peace more profound then what the world can offer.

I want to invite you all to read 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and think about how you can receive a spiritual witness of these things.

Elder Packham

I had a dream and I couldn't stop smiling!

I just want to start by saying that I'm so glad for everyone that has been praying for me and the lords investigators that I have the pleasure to teach in this area. So this week I have been studying the atonement and I have been amazed by the heart touching lessons that I have learned. It was really cool how it didn't hit me until I was in a lesson yesterday teaching about the ability that we have to change. 

So to start my story about this atonement experience I just want to preface that I have taught the lesson about the word of wisdom about 20 times. This time I learned more in one lesson than the other 19 in my mission. I was looking at the pamphlet in my hand and thinking about how hard it would be for this person to change and I couldn't help but see myself as well. I am weak I have so much that I would like to change and sometimes I feel that maybe its hopeless, discipleship isn't easy. 

There was a little square that said something that changed my thoughts forever. It reads, "Keep trying! As you apply the atonement in your life, the lord will help you, even if your progress seems slow." In that moment I knew that I could do it because someone else had already suffered like I had suffered. We are NEVER alone in this life. We like to think sometimes that we are doing things solo and that we have all the power but that isn't true.The spirit was amazing in this lesson.

About the title, so the title has to do with this lesson above. We were teaching and the investigator pause and said elders I want to tell you something. I have been praying about an answer and last night I had a dream about being submerged in the water. I couldn't stop smiling she said I will do everything that I need to do even if it takes time. 

I want to invite you all to read Mosiah 14 and think about everything that Christ has done for you. I also want you to ask yourself this question, I am who I want to be? What is my standing with god in this moment? 

I love you all and I want to bear my testimony to all of you that the power of prayer is real. I want to share with you that every time that we read the scriptures they can be new and refreshing for us. I know that we have the fullness of the gospel and that we have the prophet on the earth. I know that if we didn't have this priesthood that we would have the hope that we have now. 

Ohh and write me!!!

Elder Packham 💪👔

A week of repentance and experience

So this week has been a really great week for us. The family that we have been teaching made it to church! They are so great! The father has been a member all his life and just has been a member in private almost the whole time. Eventually (last week) his wife decided to go to the temple and see a little bit about this church that her husband is in but doesn't assist to. Its amazing how they are so receptive to everything! They are really looking for answers. I want to tell you that it's so much easier to be an example in every moment then to try and play catch up like this brother. Its hard to change the habits of yourself let alone your whole family and that is now what they are trying to do together. If you guys could please pray for them Fam Chacon: Romeo, Josefina, Romea, Itza, and Aldo.

Alright so about the week of repentance. My companion and I have been studying about repentance and what it means to us personally, as missionaries, and for our investigators. What do you think about when you hear repentance? Is it something that you apply in your life ever day over and over? I have always thought about repentance as a process that's painful and necessary but its has always been just that. The thing that I have learned about repentance is that it isn't the reason for the pain its the reason for the freedom that we feel afterwards. If we aren't repenting, if we aren't changing, we aren't progressing. Do you want to progress? I want to progress! I want to be closer to God today than I was yesterday. I invite you all to read a talk by Elder D. Todd Christofferson

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-divine-gift-of-repentance?lang=eng&cid=email-shared

Ohh about the picture. We were so sick this week that we weren't able to do anything for part of the day so that was interesting haha.

I love you all.

Elder Packham

Interesting week and changes(transfers)

So this week was changes everyone and the news is finally in! We are staying the same here in good ol culmena and that's great with me. We have found a bunch of people and we need to help them to see how they can progress for themselves. It has been really interesting learning how to teach here in the mission. All my life I have thought its been about giving the information to your audience in a way that they can understand. However I have learned that to really teach some one is to allow them to learn for themselves and merely act as a guide.

So this week in my study I have continued to read the Book of Mormon and also been studying repentance. I want to ask you what is one thing that you can give to god? Money? Time? Anything that He hasn't given you? The one thing that you have to give to him is YOUR will. That is the one truly unique thing that you can give to give.

“Perhaps the greatest discovery of my life, without question the greatest commitment, came when finally I had the confidence in God that I would loan or yield my agency to him— without compulsion or pressure, without any duress, as a single individual alone, by myself, no counterfeiting, nothing expected other than the privilege. In a sense, speaking figuratively, to take one’s agency, that precious gift which the scriptures make plain is essential to life itself, and say, ‘I will do as you direct,’ is afterward to learn that in so doing you possess it all the more”

The blessing that you receive from giving your all to our heavenly father out weighs the price beyond what we can imagine. I know that you will find the lord the more that you lose yourself the happiest times in my life have been when I have lost myself in the service of other people.

I know that some of you may think that you are to far from god to receive His love and help. I want to testify to you that this is a lie one of the greatest that Satan applies to us. We are never to far or to hidden or wicked to not receive the love of God. It may be through someone else it may be in your personal search but you will find Him!

I want to ask you how you could be an angel to someone this week?

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/the-ministry-of-angels?lang=eng

I love you all and I want to tell you that God loves you. We all have hard weeks or hard days but there is one thing that doesn't change and that is Gods love for you. Thank you all for your birthday wishes!!

Love Elder Packham

Pictures:
When the iron decided to eat my pants..
My zone.. Its a little blurry sorry.

Jacob!

So this week I´ve been study jacob this book is so great! Also I´ve been thinking about my little bro jake and his birthday and Alex and his birthday! I want to send a shout out to them and wishing that there birthday is a great one! I have had a really interesting week this week and have been learning a lot about what is a real missionary and how we can really serve.
So I want to give you a little background about who Jacob is in the Book of Mormon and why I like him so much. Jacob is the younger brother of Nephi and he was born into a family that literally was always on the move. He had to endure many things in his life and still had an unshakeable faith. He founded his faith in christ and the scriptures. In this life there is so much knowledge and things that we can choose to learn but are we looking to learn the things that will really edify us and help us grow closer to our Father in Heaven?

In Jacob he writes as a missionary preaching to the people to help them accept the gospel. I want to invite you all to reread Jacob chapter 5 and think about what type of tree you are and why? Then I want to invite you to begin the process of nurturing your tree in a way so that you can bring forth good fruit.

The scripture I want to leave with you all this week is a really long one so you should spend a lot of time reading it and ponder your own personal applications.

Jacob  6:12
O be wise; what can I say more?

Okay so it isn't that long but it is super profound and if you ponder on it you will find answers to your questions.

This week we had the amazing opportunity to go to the temple open house here in mexico city with the ward and our investigators. We were a little nervous but in the end we had 7 investigators and 4 of these were brought by the ward! I want to tell you that the power of members really makes all the difference all the investigators that we have right now were thanks to members. Share your testimony with everyone! It doesn't matter how much you know share it with your heart and the spirit will testify to them of the truthfulness. We can not be closet Mormons we must stand strong and have firm roots in the word of god.

The first two fotos my companion and I at the temple
Second two my cover for PMG
Final 2 a bookmark I made read the scriptures and qoute if you need motivation

Love,
Elder Packham

Who Are We

So this week I heard something that almost broke my heart.

We were talking to the Jehovah Witness and he was sharing his point of view on who he believes he is in relation to god. He said that he is nothing to God merely dust that He created and in order to give this creation a purpose He sacrificed His son. I was shocked and heart broken and as much as we testified of who we are and our part in the plan of our heavenly father he would not accept that he was more than nothing.

I want to bear to you all the most powerful witness that I can through this computer that I know who I am. I am a son of a loving heavenly father and thanks to that love he sent his son to die so that I might return to live with him. I know that because of that sacrifice I have the power to change every day and that I matter and am never alone. I know that he has a plan for me that I was with him before I came to this world and that I will be with him after I leave this world if I am obedient to that few things that he asks of me in return.

I was reading a book about the life of Joseph Smith (the Prophet of the Restoration) and he said that as we become ready to come to him (Christ) we learn that he is ready to come to us. And if we don't understand the nature of God that we wont be able to understand ourselves. As I bore my testimony to this man about who is he is to God I learned about how much I mean to the Lord. The scripture that I want to invite you all to study because it has made such a huge impact in my teaching this week and this month as we talk about the marvelous plan that God has for us is John 17:3 If you understand this scripture the views that you have will change. It doesn't matter if you are a member or not as we begin to understand these things we change. Another quote from Joseph Smith; We begin to change as our perspective changes.

Isaiah 43:3-7 As well is great study for what we mean to God.

This week we were able to see one miracle that was really interesting after a day where everything seemed to be against us we went on exchanges with some youth in our ward and ended up teaching some really spiritually packed lessons. I learned that we need to have our faith in god and trust that he will help things work out in there own time.

This week we got some sad news our investigator that we were hoping might be our next baptism told us that her parents said that if she gets baptized they wont have a daughter. She really needs a lot of prayers this week.

Share with me what you have learned and how you have applied it in your week love you!!!

Elder Packham

His plan and His timing

So this week was super great!

We have been working on a list of people that are members that aren't coming to church. It was a really edifying experience and made me think about how I am viewed in the church. Everyone of the families when we talked about the ward showed genuine excitement to hear who is the Bishop. He's someone that's normal like anyone else that gets called and set apart for something special. What would happen if I get called to this position what would I do and what would people do?

So this week I started to plan a talk about what it means to be a Disciple of Christ and to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. I was thinking a lot about a talk given by Elder Holland, Inconvenient Messiah. He talks about the fast of Jesus Christ and how his life wasn't easy and how can we as his disciples think that our lives our going to be easier than his. Christ had the power to do anything that he wanted to do but when he was tempted he chose to not act because he believed that there is a time and place for all things. I have fallen in love with a scripture that is in D&C 64:32-33 because it tells us that we can have faith in the timing of the lord without stopping and waiting for him to do everything for us.

 

32 But all things must come to pass in their time.

33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

Sometimes we get complacent as members or think that what we are doing isn't making a difference but that just isn't true we are making a huge difference by doing the little things that the lord wants of us. The adversary is going to attack us in ways that we don't expect by making us think that what we want will come easy or that we cant do it at all, that's a lie from the father of lies!

 

Belief, testimony, and faith are not passive principles they take acting, sharing, and progressing. I really like what my mission presidents wife said the other day, Your words tell people what your thinking but your actions tell people what you believe. 

 

I have felt that we as missionaries really don't do anything..... we study, practice, and work so that God can work through us to do what He wants done. I really like a scripture that is 2 Nephi 27:21 about how God will show that He can do what He wants in His way. To have faith show that you have faith in His plan and His timing.

 

I love you all!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In thinking about Elder Packham's email this week and doing some study to share with him, I found this:

 

Elder Dallin H. Oaks (1932- ) served as president of BYU from 1971-1980.  He was then appointed as a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and resigned when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984.

"If we have faith in God and if we are committed to the fundamentals of keeping His commandments and putting Him first in our lives, we do not need to plan every single event—even every important event—and we should not feel rejected or depressed if some things—even some very important things—do not happen at the time we had planned or hoped or prayed.

"Commit yourself to put the Lord first in your life, keep His commandments, and do what the Lord's servants ask you to do. Then your feet are on the pathway to eternal life. Then it does not matter whether you are called to be a bishop or a Relief Society president, whether you are married or single, or whether you die tomorrow. You do not know what will happen. Do your best on what is fundamental and personal and then trust in the Lord and His timing."

- Dallin H. Oaks, "Timing," BYU devotional address, 29 January 2002; see Ensign, Oct. 2003, pp. 10-17
Click here to read the full talk

The Courage to Change

Hello everyone!! So this week was interesting I would like to tell you all now that its officially official---we have a new member of the church in my family and I am over the moon happy for her! What a miracle in my life. I hardly have words to express it. CONGRADULATIONS!!!

So this past week how was your homework of the study of desire in the scriptures? Its part of a 3 part question that I have been asking myself to see if I really have what it takes to be converted. So I hope you all studied.

The second part of this question is the title of this email, the courage to change. I have been studying this and looking for what is courage really. I thought the easiest thing to do would be to go to the dictionary in the bible again but unfortunately in this case it wasn't of any help. So I thought and thought and came to the conclusion the courage is the exercise of our faith. I thought of an example we are in a spot and we cant seen anywhere around us not a peep. 2 Corinthians 5:7 We have faith in the direccion that we have to go but nothing else, our faith begins to move our foot and we have it in the air but that's when Satan starts attacking, and we begin to doubt. This is where we find this courage when our faith and hope combine to give us the courage to keep moving forward. (2 Corinthians 10:15) (Ether 12:4) (James 2:22) I invite you all to study courage in your own way, find out what it means to you and share it with me. 

 

This unique relationship with faith and hope is what really is courage for me. It isn't something really crazy its having faith, hope, and acting on those two things not knowing the outcome. I am reminded of a move with will smith I think its called fearless. He says the fear isn't real, don't mistake his words, danger is real but choosing to have fear is in our power. Something like that but this is courage, having doubts, fearing change, or being stubborn in our ways and still choosing to change. 

 

In our lives we are going to meet people that absolutely hate what we stand for even if they don't know or understand us but in these moments and every moment it is our job to defend the truth. When we do that we will grow in many ways in one of them is our faith ( Jude 1:3) I'm not saying the we should contend with anyone solely defend ourselves with a strong, maybe simple, testimony of what we know in our hearts to be true. ( Helaman 5:12) 

 

I love you all and I bear you my humble witness that I know that these things are true. I know that they can and will change your life if you have the faith and courage to put them in practice. 

 

Con todo mi corazon,

Elder Packham

 

One of the things I really love about Elder Packham's emails is that he invites us to do something.  I did a study of courage and want to share something that I got from President Thomas S Monson:

 

Life’s journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings. Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say, “No,” the courage to say, “Yes.” Decisions do determine destiny.

The call for courage comes constantly to each of us. It has ever been so, and so shall it ever be.

 

I think that we have to exercise courage in one form or another each day. In another talk by President Monson he admonished us to have the courage to not judge others.  I think that for most people that is a tough one.  Often in life we are comparing ourselves to others and most likely when we judge - we judge ourselves the hardest.  It took a lot of courage for me to keep pressing forward when Mic died.  It took a lot of courage to be a single mom, and even more courage to get married again.  I know for a fact that our decisions do determine our destiny and I constantly pray for courage to make the right decisions.  When Jacob was serving his mission, not one email went without the phrase, "Be of good courage."  And so it is with my emails to Elder Packham and Elder Harris.  This means to be bold and confident.  That is my hope for all of us!  Below is an excerpt from an email I sent to my two missionaries:

Courage is not the absence of fear but the conquest of fear. Jean Paul Richter, a German philosopher, said about courage, “Courage consists not in blindly overlooking danger but in seeing it and conquering it.”
 

Many people have written of courage. Confucius said, “To see what is right and not do it, is want of courage” (“Chinese Classics,” Contributor [June 1887] 8:304). David Lloyd George said, “Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You cannot cross a chasm in two small jumps.” Sidney Smith said, “A great deal of talent is lost in the world for want of a little courage.” Samuel Johnson said, “Courage is the greatest of all virtues, because if you haven’t courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others.” An unknown author said, “Without fear there are no heroes, only fools. Never stop being afraid.” Paul Whitehead put it another way: “True courage is not the brutal force of vulgar heroes but the firm resolve of virtue and reason” (in Victor L. Brown, Conference Report, October 1962, 27), and Alfieri said, “Often the test of courage is not to die but to live.”
 

These last two quotes remind me of a talk by Mickey Mantle, the great baseball star of the New York Yankees. In part, he said, “Being brave doesn’t mean being noisy. It doesn’t mean acting big and brassy and knocking people down and saying ‘look how tough I am.’ It means doing what you have to do even when you don’t want to do it; or doing what you have to do when it’s hard to do it; or when you could let it slide and let somebody else do it; or when it hurts to do it.
 

“Suppose you and that kid you don’t like on the next block have agreed to settle things with a fight after school. Maybe you know in your heart that the trouble is all your fault and the only reason you’re fighting is because you happen to be big and you know you can win. You know you ought to do the right thing and apologize to the other kid, but you’re afraid to, because you don’t want to appear yellow. You’re wondering which takes more courage, fighting or not fighting.”
 

It takes a lot of courage to be a missionary—to not fight (debate) when you want to fight; to live rules; to stand up sometimes to a companion who wants to do wrong; to knock on doors; to speak in Church; to bear your testimony; to find a way to keep busy; to continue with members who don’t seem interested in sharing the gospel; to say no to temptation; to eat your companion’s cooking; to make one or two more calls after a frustrating day that should have ended an hour ago; to continue working with a bishop or ward mission leader who is so busy that you feel like you’re intruding on his time; to be persistent and consistent in the face of challenges that seem almost too heavy to bear; to keep going, after being turned down time after time.
 

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, if they reject my words, and this part of my gospel and ministry, blessed are ye, for they can do no more unto you than unto me. . . . Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward” (D&C 6:29–33).

 

Your calling is to teach, to testify, and to warn. It is easy to do it among friends. Courage requires that you do it in the face of adversity, discouragement, and rejection.

 

Be strong and of a good courage! There are many examples in the scriptures of courage! Daniel - standing for what was right even when threatened with death. Abinadi - willingness to offer his life rather than deny the truth. the 2000 stripling warriors….Joseph Smith.

Joshua 1:9

Have not I commanded thee? be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the lord they god Is with thee withrsoever thou goest.

Wow, this area is GIGANTIC!!

I just want to start by saying that my other area walking it was maybe an hour to get from one side to the other. This area it’s a good two hours. The good part is that we have a lot of neat things in our district that my companion and I are planning on seeing when we have money.

So this area just got done baptizing about 5 people and my companion and I are now in the process of looking for new people to teach and help receive their own personal conversion. We have been blessed to have an ex-missionary that is a perfect example of how we never stop being missionaries. Basically all of his friends are new people for us and they all want to be baptized and have been to church a bunch of times it’s just a matter of finding the courage to be an example to your family.

This leads me to my study this for this week. I have been thinking a lot about what it takes to have the desire or courage to change in our lives. I want to invite you all to study this week and share with me what you find. I have find that it all starts with our motivation and what we want in our lives. The lord will supply the mediums in our lives to accomplish it. So I went to the topical guide in the bible to see what scriptures connect to desire and it connected to the words motivation and purpose. I found some really amazing scriptures in this study and one of them was in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that says: To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. I know that sometimes in our lives we want certain things to happen. In this case we want everyone to accept the decision that we have made to be baptized but sometimes we need to have faith that the lord has a plan for us and when it’s right they will accept your choice and maybe be baptized at first. Sometime when we stand up for our faith we stand alone.

We have amazing power as sons and daughters of god we have the ability to control ourselves and our attitude no one else can tell us what we are thinking or how we feel. There are two scriptures that I really love in 2 Corinthians 10: 5, 7 The first talks about how we have to power to control our thoughts and by extension how we feel because we have this potential. In the second scripture it asks an amazing question and makes the statement that we are Christ and if we are Christ we will not look at other people as any less than we are because we all belong to him.

I love that every day I have a chance to serve people. We don’t just teach people we help people in whatever way that we can. There are days when I feel that I have nothing in me and I am completely exhausted these days I feel that I have done everything that I could to serve him.

I know that this church is true and I know that it can and will change your lives if you let it. All you need is a sincere desire to find out for yourselves if this is true. I have seen the changes in the people here I could give you a million examples and share a million testimonies about how I know these things in my very core but I invite you all to find out for yourselves. In the first book of Nephi he gives us a promise that I want to extend to you:

For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

I love you all! Seek for yourselves.

Elder Packham

Transfers!

July 20th

So this week was transfer and it finally happened I will be the one changing this week. The surprising thing is that it won’t just be me but it will be my companion as well. I will be headed to the Culmena and he will be going to Valle Dorado. We both are really sad because we love this area so much the people here are incredible I hope that I will continue to love every area like I love this one. Ohh by the way we had another baptism this week. This family is so amazing and I hope that I don’t lose contact with them we have had so many great moments together spiritual, ridiculous, and sometimes awkward.

I have been learning a lot about real love this week and my entire mission really. I have learned what it means to really love the people that you are serving. With my companion this transfer we have had so many chances to serve-both planned and unplanned. It’s really true what it says in Preach My Gospel that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. The days are hard and long but every single one of them is worth it.

My companion and I were talking the other night and we had an interesting thought. Does heavenly father have faith in us? I think that he has more than just faith in us because he knows us perfectly he sees us as a whole person. He knows what we were before and knows what we are going to be. So why does he let us make mistakes why does he let things happen to help us grow, because he loves us perfectly. Its so simple but so profound it just hit me like a ton of brick the love of god for me. There is a peace that we can find that is stronger than anything in the world. John 14:27

I want to challenge all of you to pray for a way that you can serve others. The best and quickest way to feel the love and peace of God is to serve your fellow man. I have been filled with this love on my mission but you don’t have to be serving a full time mission to serve God and your fellow man. In the world today Satan tries to attack us by placing us in our own little bubble where we don’t have time for others or our own relationship with God. POP THAT BUBBLE! Go out and serve someone and you will change your perspective and it doesn’t even have to be that big of service.

I love you all!
Elder Packham

 

 

 

Maintaining an Eternal Perspective

July 13th

So this week has been an interesting one. It’s amazing how much your personal study of the scriptures can influence your whole day. I have been studying what an investigator needs in order to have the courage to change and accept the gospel in their life. This is something that we all must find-not just people that are interested in the Church. Elder Bednar said that if we aren’t changing we aren’t progressing and it’s true. The Lord’s plan for us is to change and to be better for the purpose of eventually returning to live with Him. If we choose to just maintain the status quo and not push ourselves to be better we will wake up tomorrow unchanged, unimproved, and ultimately unfulfilled.

I love this gospel and I know that I am changed from what I was years ago. I love that when I feel like I am alone or struggling that I can pray and receive the comfort of our savior Jesus Christ! I want you all to feel that same peace so that is why I write this email. I hope that I don’t come across as preachy but in reality that is my job every day, to declare the gospel. 

So back to eternal perspective. What is eternal perspective? It’s realizing where we came from, why we are here and where we are going. Most importantly it’s realizing that Heavenly Father sees us from the principio into the eternities, complete. For example a truth that I know that helps me every day is that before this life I chose the plan of Jesus Christ and I accepted that he would be my Savior. Along with that I accepted that this life would be in my own hands that I have the ability to choose liberty and eternal life or temporary happiness in the now. I have faith that God knows and loves me and He will do everything in His power to help me reach my eternal goals.

Sometimes we get sucked in to Satan’s plan and start to stress the chooses that we are going to have to make. The trick is that we shouldn’t worry! I’m not saying that we shouldn’t do anything I’m saying that we should do all we can and turn our worries over to god because they won’t profit us anything. I want to share with you all Philippians 4:6-9 do all that you can praying to god and look for the best things and do what Christ did and you will find your guidance in that.


Here is a link to a talk entitled:
Maintaining an Eternal Perspective

Open Hearts!!!!

So this week was a week of work and man was it fulfilling. We did great with all of our goals and we had a blast laughing and teaching. When we are walking and laughing its so much easier to talk to people because they can see that light that is in us. I know that this message changes lives for the better I see it in the lives of the people here. The people that the lord prepared and we were able to baptize have changed in amazing ways.

This week was hard. I know that I have so many things to change and so many weaknesses. One of the hardest things that I have found on the mission is finding the things that I have to change and the talents and abilities that I have to grow on the mission. I feel so imperfect sometimes and I don't know why the Lord would chose someone like me to come here to share this message at this time. I know that there are so many people smarter, better in the language, and more in-tune with the spirit but he chose me. I was reading old issues of the Liahona that we have in our apartment and I came across one that really made my day.

The spiritual thought that I have this week is about this Liahona. The story is about a jade lettuce in Taiwan and how this applies to our lives. So basically the price of jade is dependent on the purity of it but this piece of jade is different because one master carver decided to take a chance on this piece. Sometimes I feel like this is me I have a lot of faults and flaws but I was chosen to be worked on. I know that I can become perfect in my imperfections through the Lord.

I love you all so much I would encourage you all to read 2 Nephi 10: 23-25.

Love,
Elder Packham

Mayan Spa!!