Born May 13th, 1955 in Guatemala City, Guatemala
Came to the USA as and exchange student during her Senior year of high school. There she attended her senior year in Boise, Idaho.
After graduation she was accepted to BYU, Provo where she met Allen Pack in the Library. The story is that he felt prompted to talk to her. After six months they were engaged. The rest is history....
Married in the Salt Lake City LDS temple, and sealed for time and all eternity on Dec.12th 1974.
She has four children Allen Paul, Audrey Marie, Emily Gail and Amy Raquel.
Her hobbies are exercise and shopping. Her favorite foods are salads and salmon. Her favorite movie of all time is " The sound of music. "
My Mother is a incredibly brave and strong woman. As a upper class Guatemalan my Mother had maids in her home that prepared her meals, and brought her and her friends lemonade by the pool when she would have friends over. She lived a life of luxury where she tells stories of extravagant Christmas's and trips every year to Florida just to go shopping. She had a personal tailor make clothes for her.
Despite the luxury my Mother remembers from her early youth, she had the courage to put superficial things aside, and enter a life that the spirit whispered to her, that it would bring a deeper joy, that nothing else in life could bring. This is an incredible thing for a youth to take on. To let go of the things that her society taught her she must have, in order to be valued by them. Although all her friends were Catholic, and she herself attended a prestigious all girls Catholic school, she had the courage to change her faith to that of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Although she knew she would loose friendships, and basically loose the life she had known for sixteen years, she knew that the church she wanted to belong too, was the church that is lead and directed by Jesus Christ himself. She was brave enough to make the choice to let her old life go, in order to meet the standards that would bring her closer to her Father in Heaven. She desired to take the steps necessary, like baptism, striving to keep the values taught at church, like daily scripture study, prayer, modestly dressing, treating her body like a temple, and choosing wisely the activities she would participate in. This is an amazing commitment for someone so young, with a life and surroundings that taught her the exact opposite, up until them.
For my Mother's bravery I am incredibly proud of her and will be forever grateful for that day that she decided to enter the waters of baptism. My Mother has outstanding faith in prayer, the atonement of Christ, and the knowledge she has that families can be united for eternity, after they have received the proper ordinances, and are worthy of the holy sealing that binds families together for eternity.
Everyday I see my Mother who lives in constant pain from her neck injuries, yet she chooses not to dwell on this. She refuses to live her life different than before. She moves forward with optimism that the Lord will bless her to accomplish the things that she needs to do. She encourages me when I am in pain not to let it get me down.
My Mother has a giving heart. She is always giving gifts to all of her grandchildren, and in fact I believe this is a major reason why she teaches classes and doesn't just dothem for fun. She knows she will be working out anyways, and if she teaches the class she will not feel bad about the money she spends on things she would like to get for her grandchildren or her children. How unselfish of her! We are very blessed to have such a loving and giving Mother who prays for us, cares for us, and whom we know has given so many sacrifices to raise us. We couldn't thank her most of all for her bravery in coming to a forgien land to learn a new language, feel alone at times because everything was so different. The way she let go of luxury and chose a humble man that she knew would make a good father for her children is incredible.
Mom you are so loved and all you do for us is appreciated so much more than you know.
Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day to one of the bravest women I know.....
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