10-30-08

Hi all,

Things are going well up here. We are finding new investigators almost every day now, and are getting a few people out to church just about every week. We have been working pretty hard. Elder Jones's last companion went home for health reasons and they weren't able to get much done before I got here, but we've built some good momentum in the last 5 weeks. I have my first transfer Nov. 4th. I can't believe I've been in the field that long already. Time flies.

A cool thing happened this last week with Brian. He's the guy whose crazy brother tried to strangle him in his sleep. He had neck problems before that. He had even had a surgery to fix whatever was wrong with it. Before that he had been out of work for the last year due to his neck. So he was in bad shape afterwards. We were talking with him and he told us he hadn't slept for 2 nights because it was so painful and that his pain meds didn't do anything. We offered to give him a blessing and he accepted without any hesitation. We were out on his driveway so we asked him if he wanted to go inside. He's all, "I was baptized in the river, let's do it right here." So we gave him a blessing in the middle of his driveway. Right after we finished, he told us how he had been given countless blessings for his neck and other things and how for the first time he felt something. He felt the pain lessen in the middle of he blessing and we felt him relax as we gave it. He wa amazed by our blessing and the next day he told us he slept normally for the first time since the attack and that he wasn't in as much pain. It was a pretty sweet experience. That was the highlight of my week. (Brian actually used to live by the river jetties on the peninsula for a few years before he moved up here.)

Everything else is going well. As for the Axethelms, I know them. (Brian and Lareen, thanks for keeping me in your prayers, and thanks Emma). The first time I went over to their house, they asked me if I was any relation to Brian Packer from Idaho (my uncle). It was pretty funny. And their daughter was a best friend with Logan, I guess. I think we're going over there tonight to help the paint the house they're building. Bro Axethelm is the ward clerk and we've been working with Sis Axethelm to fellowship a potential investigator. Small world.

The work is good, the church is true.

Much love,

Elder Packer