Thursday, August 26, 2010

August 24, 2010

I GOT MY FLIGHT PLANS!!!!! HURRAY!!!
AUGUST 30TH!!!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

August 17, 2010

I'm having a great time here on the mission still, but I bet that's no surprise for you. I'm learning a ton and I'm making a ton of good friends. My district and I are becoming so close because we're with each other about 24/7 ha, but we're having so many good times. My whole district is doing 100% SYL now, it's kind of weird only speaking Russian all the time but it helps a ton. But yeah this last week I went to the native Russian district and learned with them. IT WAS AWESOME! I understood most of it (I still have a ton of work to go) and I wish I could just go there every day. I tried out to play my cello in a fireside but they wouldn't let me because I leave too soon, it made me mad, but at the same time happy because that means I'm going to the Baltics really soon. I don't really know more about when I'm leaving yet, but we get our flight plans in two days... Ah it's kind of scary but I'll make sure to tell you every detail next week so that you can know what's going on. It sounds like you're having a ton of fun, I wish I could have seen you all ripping it up on the lake and surviving the wilderness. I really do miss all the fun family trips we would go on, we better go on a bunch when I get back. Well I'm sorry I never have a lot to say I promise I'll have a lot more to say when I get out in the field. I never thought in my life that I would be in Eastern Europe like I'm about to be in 2 weeks. But I know that I'm blessed so much to go there and teach these people. We hear all these amazing stories while we're here in the MTC and we're all about to explode cause we're so excited to get to the field. There are a few members in my district that aren't going to the same mission as me and that makes me kind of sad, cause this might be the last time I see them again. Ok well I'm running out of time sorry. I have so little to talk about that it takes forever to rack my brain to think of things to say. so I'll quickly give you a scripture... it's in 2 Nephi chapter 26 the main verses I want to point out are 24-28 they talk about how no one is turned away from the salvation of the Lord if they seek it out. No matter what we've done we can be forgiven and take a part of this wonderfull plan of happiness. It also made me think about the people I'm going to serve and how they all have that chance too and I better do all I can to give that oportunity to everyone I can. I love you all and I can't wait to hear from you again your emails always make me so happy.

-Elder Pack

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

August 10, 2010

Hey Family!

Hey how is everything going? It's just me again sitting at the MTC and writing you. I'm having a great time and making a ton of friends, I finally finished my disposable camera so now I can send it to you. I'll send it out today, and you can get all the pictures printed if that's ok with you. This week was really fun, I learned a ton of Russian, went to some way amazing talks and got to go to the temple today, so I'm in a way good mood. I'm so so so so so so so jealous that you get to go boating. I miss water very bad, and this has been a very hot Summer vacation and it makes me sad a lot. You'll have to tell me how it is at Redfish Lake, I don't think that I've ever been there unless it's from when I was way little. I know it's way crazy I've almost been here for 2 months, TIME IS FLYING! I don't know what to do. Two years is starting to seem like not close to enough time. I'm getting really sick of the food here, that's one problem that I've come accrossed, it all tastes the same and is super greasy so it makes me feel really gross. But I've been trying really hard to stay healthy, and I've been succesfull... hurray. I've lost like 5 pounds since I've been here cause I try to run at least 3 miles a day. I've have gained such an appreciation for gym time, haha I have no idea what in the world I would do without it. So I don't know if I told you this but the new Native Russians got here a couple weeks ago. It's really cool having them here cause I can hear what the language is really supposed to sound like. I've been hanging out with them a lot to get practice speaking because about a week ago I went 100% Russian speaking. It's really hard but since I can talk to those natives i'm learning really fast. My teacher Brother Wood is really cool, he gave me a surprise yesterday, because I've been working my butt off to try and learn this language. The surprise is: tomorrow I get to hang out with the Native Russians all day and go to classes and stuff with them so I can just be completely dunked in the language. I'm so excited, I'm about to the point where I can understand most of what they talk about but I have a lot of work to go until I can speak completely fluently. I'm trying really hard to think of something funny to write to you guys, but I can't think of anything haha. I guess that's what happens when I sit in class all day, every single day. Oh yes before I forget again and make it so you all want to seriously kill me, I'm going to bring the thrilling end to the Sushi mystery. I'm sorry that I always forget to tell you what happened, I just try so hard to think of all the things that happened in the week and I don't remember half of them when it's actually time to write an email. I didn't get it :(... I got a note a while ago and it said someone tried to deliver me sushi, but they're not allowed to give me food delivered by companies or other people that isn't properly packaged to last for like 2 months or something like that haha. I was way mad though so I went and begged them to give it to me but they had thrown it away. So I'm sorry that you had to buy that sushi and then it didn't even end up getting to me, I'm mad at the postal system here, but I love you so much and thank you for trying to send it to me. It's the thought that counts. You all sound really busy and that's good, the way to stay happy is to stay involve. I've been reading in Helaman recently and the passage I would like to share with you this week is Mosiah 12 through about 16ish I think. It's about Abanidi and his teachings to king Noah. I don't have my scriptures with me and I hope I didn't completely lie to you, but in about chapter 15 he's talking about salvation and what we need to do in this life and it's way good. I love you all have a great week, and remember why we're here.

-Elder Pack

Friday, August 6, 2010

August 3, 2010

I'm having a great time here I am learning a ton! Tomorrow we're teaching the second lesson about the plan of Salvation all Russian, ahhhhhhh! it's kind of scary cause I'm not that good at Russian, especially compared to all the natives that come in here that I have to teach. I'm sorry all my emails are so short I just never really have anything to talk about cause I sit in class all day ha. All that really happens is grammar and vocabulary all day ha. Except a pretty exciting thing happened this week, I found out that I can rent a cello! so I got some sheet music and I've been practicing a bit, to see if I can try out and maybe get into one of the firesides that they'll have. I'm getting so excited to leave the MTC though, because there are some teachers here that went to the Baltic and they say that is absolutely incredible! My teacher Brother Wood said that he went on a Visa trip there and he said it was basically heaven there, just way super green with lots of flowers and rivers and streams everywhere, and the castles are way cool. I'm so excited because I know that this is going to be the best time of my life because I'm a missionary, and it just super adds to my excitement that I get to go somewhere like the Baltics. I'm making some way good friends here at the MTC and my district is way cool, I'm really trying to get those pictures send to you I'm sorry that it's taking so long. I'm just not the best picture taker in the world so I don't have very many, but I've been trying really hard to take a bunch. I actually have some really bad news that i forgot to tell you about last week. My camera broke :( I don't know how, it just all of a sudden stopped working. It's ok though cause I've been taking pictures with a disposable camera and I'm going to send that home to you really soon. And I'll send my camera home to see if you can see what's wrong with it. So right about now Alycia is my favorite sibling because she's written me a letter ;). Maybe the rest of you should learn from her example and write me too, if you do I promise I'll write you back. How is everyone doing right now? I really miss all of you! I hope that you're all making good choices and that you are staying happy. I have a scripture passage for you to try and read if you have the time :). It's really incredible having all this study time, I've really taken the scriptures for granted throughout my life, and I've really realized that they are so important and they are full of so many incredible examples of how we should live our life. But the scripture I want to share with you is the last two chapter of 2nd Nephi. They are way good. They are Nephi's final testimony about the scriptures, and this amazing Gospel. One thing I would like to suggest to the kids of the family (yes that includes all of you Frank, Alycia, Robbie, and Jenna). Just take at least 20-30 minutes everyday to read the scriptures. I know it might seem like an example and that you don't have time. But it's amazing how much time you can actually have to do things like that if you really think about the importance of it. I know that it will bless your lives. And if you read and mark down your thoughts and feeling you will be able to remember a lot better all the amazing things you will learn from them. I've already noticed an amazing change in my life because of the Book of Mormon, and I know you can to. So just give it a shot please, for your brother that's going to be all alone on the other side of the world :), and for your amazing Savior. He loves us and I can testify of that more than ever. I love all of you, and I always love to hear from you. have a great week.


-Elder Pack