Dear Family,
It was really good to hear from you today, but that's not a suprise because I enjoy your emails every week. I'm happy to hear that all is going so well. It's weird that so many things have been happening and changing in this one year that I've been gone. Everyone is just growing up a lot and I don't think I'll recognize you all by the time I get home.
We had a good week here in Tallinn. Our investigator Vladislav (our investigator with a baptismal date) is still right on his way to being baptized this upcoming Saturday. He's 20 years old and he just has such a strong testimony. He passed his interview this last Saturday with flying colors. It's a lot of fun to be able to teach him. Wow for some reason this week is the hardest week ever to think of what to say. I really have absolutely no idea. I'll get to answering your questions then maybe I can think of something to say.
1. Did you find a camera? No I wasn't able to get a camera last week I didn't have enough time so I'll try to get one today, but it might end up being next week.
2. What are your responsibilities as district leader? How often do you
have district meetings? I don't really have that many responsibilities. I'm just in charge of district meetings once a week. And I coordinate the missionary efforts with the branch. It's actually really easy. I have really amazing missionaries to serve with so I don't really have to worry about things haha.
3. Elder Koegler thinks that it would be a good idea... here's their email address. Have fun. dkoegler@me.com
4. What do you guys do on pday? I hope you are getting out and seeing
the sites. It looks great in pictures on google earth. On Preperation day we go and play sports with all the missionaries in Tallinn. It's a lot of fun we play for about an hour and a half. Then we go and eat somewhere with our district. Today we went to a resteraunt in old town here is incredibly beatiful, I'll make sure to send you pictures in the future. Then we get groceries and email. So that's basically my life on mondays
5. What is your house address? I live on Koskla 5
6. How are your investigators doing? We don't really have investigators besides Vladislav right now that are doing very well. This is deffinately the slowest area (as far as lessons taught) I've served in. But things are going really well as far as baptisms go here.
I'm really really sorry that my email is so lame this week. I really just have nothing exciting to say. We just walked around and did missionary work. I'll try really hard to have something good to talk about next week. Have a great week and thank you so much for all of the support.
-Elder Pack
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
May 16, 2011
Dear Family,
Wow now this email is already no fun to write because you know everything that happened. Darn that makes me sad I was excited to surprise you but oh well I'll still tell you a few things. Tallinn is very very beautiful. And probably the cleanest of all the cities I've been in (which is all of them except Narva). At the same time it's kind of depressing to be out of Daugavpils because I really really liked it there. I have so many new friends there that now I don't know if I'll ever see them again. And less people than anywhere else speak Russian here which is depressing. I've spoken more English to people in the last 3 days than I did in my whole 4 months in Daugavpils. Estonian is just a way crazy fairy language. I don't even know how to explain it. It's a lot like finish so it's one of the hardest languages in the world. It's not really anything like Latvian, Lithuanian, or Russian at all. But at the same time I'm way happy because I'm serving with Elder Koegler again!!! woohoo. I'm way happy, now I can finish my transfer with him that got cut short when I got sent down to Vilnius.
This week we've already had a few really cool adventures. We have an investigator that's going to be baptized in a couple weeks which is really cool. We also found a guy that we found on the street the day after I got here and he's also preparing for baptism and doing really well. He's already quit drinking, and he came to church yesterday so we're really happy. A cool miracle that happened with him was the second time we taught him and we wanted to talk about the Word of Wisdom. So as we were waiting for him on the street he came out and the first thing he said to us was "you know what I've been thinking about it, I really hate drinking I'm never going to drink again". I was also able to have my first baptismal interview as a district leader with a lady that's getting baptized this Saturday. It was really cool to talk to her and see how much the gospel has changed her life for the better. The Gospel really is happiness people just have to accept it.
Ok now I'll get to answering your other questions cause I don't have anything to say since you already know I'm here...
1. Is Estonian like Latvian or Lithuanian? I already answered this one... not at all haha.
2. Who is your new companion and where is he from? Elder Koegler! you already know about him haha.
3. How long has he been in the Baltics? he only has about 3 months left. I'm only one month behind where he was when he trained me... Isn't that crazy everything is going by so fast.
4. Where has your companion served before now? He's only served in Riga his whole mission until last transfer he moved up here.
5. How big is your district, and are there a lot of russians in Tallin? There are 6 missionaries in our District. Me, Elder Koegler, Elder Waddups, Elder Mock, Sister Grenavachutie, and Sister Uibel. It's already a lot of fun.
6. Is the food and culture the same as the other countries or is it a little different? Everything is quite a bit different here and I don't really know how to explain it. You'd just have to come here and see.
I also have some really bad news that you might get kind of upset over but it's all ok cause you lost my ski. I accidently broke my camera the other day and it only had a 6 month warranty so I'll have to get a new one. I'll probably get a new one today just so you know. I didn't mean to it was an accident. I'll make sure the next one lasts for the rest of the time. Thank you so much for all the support. I'm really really excited to hear from you next week.
-Elder Pack
Wow now this email is already no fun to write because you know everything that happened. Darn that makes me sad I was excited to surprise you but oh well I'll still tell you a few things. Tallinn is very very beautiful. And probably the cleanest of all the cities I've been in (which is all of them except Narva). At the same time it's kind of depressing to be out of Daugavpils because I really really liked it there. I have so many new friends there that now I don't know if I'll ever see them again. And less people than anywhere else speak Russian here which is depressing. I've spoken more English to people in the last 3 days than I did in my whole 4 months in Daugavpils. Estonian is just a way crazy fairy language. I don't even know how to explain it. It's a lot like finish so it's one of the hardest languages in the world. It's not really anything like Latvian, Lithuanian, or Russian at all. But at the same time I'm way happy because I'm serving with Elder Koegler again!!! woohoo. I'm way happy, now I can finish my transfer with him that got cut short when I got sent down to Vilnius.
This week we've already had a few really cool adventures. We have an investigator that's going to be baptized in a couple weeks which is really cool. We also found a guy that we found on the street the day after I got here and he's also preparing for baptism and doing really well. He's already quit drinking, and he came to church yesterday so we're really happy. A cool miracle that happened with him was the second time we taught him and we wanted to talk about the Word of Wisdom. So as we were waiting for him on the street he came out and the first thing he said to us was "you know what I've been thinking about it, I really hate drinking I'm never going to drink again". I was also able to have my first baptismal interview as a district leader with a lady that's getting baptized this Saturday. It was really cool to talk to her and see how much the gospel has changed her life for the better. The Gospel really is happiness people just have to accept it.
Ok now I'll get to answering your other questions cause I don't have anything to say since you already know I'm here...
1. Is Estonian like Latvian or Lithuanian? I already answered this one... not at all haha.
2. Who is your new companion and where is he from? Elder Koegler! you already know about him haha.
3. How long has he been in the Baltics? he only has about 3 months left. I'm only one month behind where he was when he trained me... Isn't that crazy everything is going by so fast.
4. Where has your companion served before now? He's only served in Riga his whole mission until last transfer he moved up here.
5. How big is your district, and are there a lot of russians in Tallin? There are 6 missionaries in our District. Me, Elder Koegler, Elder Waddups, Elder Mock, Sister Grenavachutie, and Sister Uibel. It's already a lot of fun.
6. Is the food and culture the same as the other countries or is it a little different? Everything is quite a bit different here and I don't really know how to explain it. You'd just have to come here and see.
I also have some really bad news that you might get kind of upset over but it's all ok cause you lost my ski. I accidently broke my camera the other day and it only had a 6 month warranty so I'll have to get a new one. I'll probably get a new one today just so you know. I didn't mean to it was an accident. I'll make sure the next one lasts for the rest of the time. Thank you so much for all the support. I'm really really excited to hear from you next week.
-Elder Pack
May 14, 2011 - Estonia!
Dear Brother and Sister Pack,
I am pleased to advise you that your missionary, Elder Reginald Pack, has been given a new assignment in the Baltic Mission. As of 13 May 2011, Elder Pack has been serving as the District Leader in the Tallinn 2nd District.
Elder Pack is a great missionary and we love having him in the mission. In this assignment he will have responsibility to lead his District of Elders and Sisters as they seek to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people in Estonia. Thank you for your love and support of him.
With warm regards,
Douglas Dance, President
Baltic Mission
I am pleased to advise you that your missionary, Elder Reginald Pack, has been given a new assignment in the Baltic Mission. As of 13 May 2011, Elder Pack has been serving as the District Leader in the Tallinn 2nd District.
Elder Pack is a great missionary and we love having him in the mission. In this assignment he will have responsibility to lead his District of Elders and Sisters as they seek to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people in Estonia. Thank you for your love and support of him.
With warm regards,
Douglas Dance, President
Baltic Mission
Thursday, May 12, 2011
May 9, 2011
Hey family,
It was way awesome to talk to you yesterday. You all sound like you're doing so well and that makes me so happy. Thank you so much for all of the support, and giving me this opportunity to go on a mission. I don't really have a lot to say because I just talked to you yesterday. I hope that you have a great week and I'm way excited to hear from you next week.
-Elder Pack
This is a picture taken at the Branch President's house. They had the missionaries over to celebrate Elder Pack's birthday. :) They had some shashliki (kind of like a shish kabob) and some other tasty food.
It was way awesome to talk to you yesterday. You all sound like you're doing so well and that makes me so happy. Thank you so much for all of the support, and giving me this opportunity to go on a mission. I don't really have a lot to say because I just talked to you yesterday. I hope that you have a great week and I'm way excited to hear from you next week.
-Elder Pack
This is a picture taken at the Branch President's house. They had the missionaries over to celebrate Elder Pack's birthday. :) They had some shashliki (kind of like a shish kabob) and some other tasty food.
Monday, May 2, 2011
May 2, 2011 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER PACK!
Dear семья,
Thank you So much for all the birthday wishes that you sent me. Having birthdays on missions are really weird because they're basically like any other day. This morning I woke up and got ready and started study, and it wasn't until halfway through my studies that I realized that it was my birthday today haha. I actually don't have any idea what more I can say about my birthday haha. Just thank you so much for all the support and the world's best twenty years that anyone has ever had, it's all thanks to you :). Oh yeah I almost forgot to mention it again. I did get the package this last week! Thank you so much it really made me way happy. I really like the photo album and all the letters. Pictures and letters are the best things you can get as a missionary. I'm mostly happy though to hear that everything is going so well with all of you. I love hearing what's going on with all of you. I'm way excited to talk to all of you this upcoming Sunday. Today we found out the procedure for calling. My time for calling will be at 10:30 a.m. your time. It will be the same as last time (except for I have a different number now). It will be way radical!
This week in missionary work was just way awesome! We were able to teach a lot of lessons and find a lot of new people. We have a few investigators that are progressing really well, and we're hoping that we'll at least be able to help someone progress towards baptism! A cool thing that happened this week is we went out to a city named Kraslava, to teach a referral that we actually got from the parents of one of the missionaries here. We've taught her once before, and so we were all ready to teach about the plan of Salvation. But when we got out there she wasn't able to meet with us, so we met with her daughter who was actually way way awesome. She's about 35-ish years old and lives in a way awesome place in Kraslava I'll send a picture. She was way interested and we're going back to teach her again probably this week.
Thank you so much for all the support and for all the awesomeness that you all give me. I'm really really grateful that I was able to grow up with such amazing people as you in my life. You are all the reason I am who I am today. Please have a great week. I'm sorry I can't reply to all of you. I wish I had more time to email, but you know the life of a missionary just busy busy busy. But don't ever forget that I love all of you so much and I always will be so grateful for all that you do for me.
Kraslava, Daugavpils
Daugavpils Sunset
Elder Gudmunson & Elder Pack at Carvival
Thank you So much for all the birthday wishes that you sent me. Having birthdays on missions are really weird because they're basically like any other day. This morning I woke up and got ready and started study, and it wasn't until halfway through my studies that I realized that it was my birthday today haha. I actually don't have any idea what more I can say about my birthday haha. Just thank you so much for all the support and the world's best twenty years that anyone has ever had, it's all thanks to you :). Oh yeah I almost forgot to mention it again. I did get the package this last week! Thank you so much it really made me way happy. I really like the photo album and all the letters. Pictures and letters are the best things you can get as a missionary. I'm mostly happy though to hear that everything is going so well with all of you. I love hearing what's going on with all of you. I'm way excited to talk to all of you this upcoming Sunday. Today we found out the procedure for calling. My time for calling will be at 10:30 a.m. your time. It will be the same as last time (except for I have a different number now). It will be way radical!
This week in missionary work was just way awesome! We were able to teach a lot of lessons and find a lot of new people. We have a few investigators that are progressing really well, and we're hoping that we'll at least be able to help someone progress towards baptism! A cool thing that happened this week is we went out to a city named Kraslava, to teach a referral that we actually got from the parents of one of the missionaries here. We've taught her once before, and so we were all ready to teach about the plan of Salvation. But when we got out there she wasn't able to meet with us, so we met with her daughter who was actually way way awesome. She's about 35-ish years old and lives in a way awesome place in Kraslava I'll send a picture. She was way interested and we're going back to teach her again probably this week.
Thank you so much for all the support and for all the awesomeness that you all give me. I'm really really grateful that I was able to grow up with such amazing people as you in my life. You are all the reason I am who I am today. Please have a great week. I'm sorry I can't reply to all of you. I wish I had more time to email, but you know the life of a missionary just busy busy busy. But don't ever forget that I love all of you so much and I always will be so grateful for all that you do for me.
Kraslava, Daugavpils
Daugavpils Sunset
Elder Gudmunson & Elder Pack at Carvival
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)