April 7, 2009 email (still at the mtc)

ok- so this week. First of all- everyone is leaving us. Everyone we know of. But we start visitor's center training on wednesday so it won't be that bad. I also have another p-day on Friday to be able to get ready for leaving I suppose? Then on Saturday we get to go to Temple Square!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're all getting really excited for that! To be out in the real world.... :) And then I leave on Tuesday! What the what the? But I"m SOOOOOOOOO ready to go. So excited. And! I'm kinda bummed that all of you will be here the day after I leave. Which is dumb. But right now I'm trying to figure out if I can leave stuff. It's weird- I honestly just want to find like 2 dresses and just wear them on alternating days- when I'm not wearing pioneer clothes of course:) So- yes. I have given up on the trying to look attractive idea. Whatevs- ain't no thang. Ok! So! Thanks so much mom for writing me FINALLY about my heathenistic tv shows that I love. That was great. And I'm sorry I'm not getting letters back to you fast enough- it's just hard to! They keep us way busy and we're only supposed to write today. So I especially hate it when I get stuff on wednesday because I just missed writing back! I got a SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET package from Aubs this week- it made my life. She's such a good friend to me. It really did make my life. And I did get the jeans and the curling iron THANK YOU MOM! I wrote you letters back as well. They should be coming soon- I sent them out around Thursday? Friday? I really can't remember days. And I'm being honest. Things just run together here. It's all a big blur.... :) OH yeah! But last Friday was like the best day of my LIFE! Ok so my comp and I we went and taught a bunch of lessons in the morning at the TEC (tell Gus to go to the TEC ALL the time- it's so good for your teaching) so we got to teach a lot and improve and I love doing that. And then! at lunch I got a letter from Daddy, a letter from Cam, AND a wedding invite from Nat my old roommate. AND THEN! We had gym! And I love love LOOOOOOOOVE gym. And then! I was in the RC having a great day and then I had to go ask them to send the missionaries to this one ladies house and I walk in and this guys like "sister picard I know you" and I was like "I don't even know you" but! turns out! He is in Ris's ward!!!!!!!!! So I got to talk to him about my one true friend. Which for some reason made me happy beyond belief. And then we had a sub teacher that night for the teacher I don't care for much :) Oh man. Good day. And CONFERENCE! sooooooo good! It was cool to be able to watch it here. They kept us busy that day. We just studied, conference, eat, study, conference, study, devotional, eat, conference, etc etc. So- I was pretty much sick of sitting on my behind by Sunday night- but it's all good :) Oh man I just love conference. It was SO good. I especially loved Elder Holland's talk- but I just love him. And I love all the other apostles too. He's just a fave. And then we watched the Joseph Smith movie again last night- and I didn't even cry! I just love it though. Everytime I watch it I get SOOOOOOOOO super excited to just be in Nauvoo. That's where I want to serve all of my mission. But I guess I'm excited for proselyting too. It'll be interesting to see where exactly I am sent. Hopefully someplace warmer than colder- but if Heavenly Father sticks to precedent it won't be somewhere I want to go :) hahahahahah oh man I'm funny. Ok! But all I know is- that I'm only proselyting for 7 months. So I am going to baptize the stinkin crud out of those 7 months. Hardcore. I WILL be the hardest working missionary in the world. I think it'll be good to be able to have such a short amount of time to just completely be focused. Not that I won't love Nauvoo because I will- it'll just be a little different because I won't be able to see investigators all the way through to baptism and what not. Man I'm excited. Every day. I just get more and more excited! And I just love being here- well maybe not necessarily here as in the MTC- but here as in on a mission :) I'm SO grateful for the parents and fam I've had- because I've seen a lot of people here having to deal with problems that I just don't deal with. And I think a lot of that can be attributed to my FAMILY! that I love! yes I do! But seriously- I'm being serious- I SOOOO appreciate it. Everything. And I do miss you- I just don't cry around like everyone else :) Ok- this is even how much more patient I'm being. When people keep crying all the time and sniffling so loud! I don't even give them dirty looks. Most of the time :) Ok- I admit- I'm DYING to know who won the tourney. So whoever tells me will be my new favorite person of the world. Forever and ever. :) Also! I need g-ma's addresss. I haven't heard from her. Also- text cass and get his address so I can write him and tell him to get baptized :) Or forward this to him. I'm wearing his tennis shirt today:) And I told the Provo elders to go find him and baptize him and tell him that I sent them :) aaahahaha. I just love the gospel! And I love how much room there is to progress in it! I love that I'll never know everything. I love that I just keep learning more and more and more. And I LOOOOOOOOVE bearing my testimony to people and being able to help them know more about Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Oh man- mish is good times for everyone:) I'm trying to think of anything else that's been going on. Oh yes- we went to the departure devotional Sunday night because all of our zone/district is leaving. That was pretty good. I liked when President Smith (MTC pres) said that the sisters should lovingly remind the elders of what they should be doing. One elder told me today that I've influenced him to stop saying crap. Which is good. That is not mission talk :) Probably just because he knows I could beat him up. Yes- I am still under the delusion I can beat up everyone here. I really haven't seen anyone I thought that I couldn't. And one E. in the district got all offended when he was trying to act all tough and I started laughing at him.... my bad :) oh yeah! And then. Oh man- I seriously did want to I don't even know. But there is an E. here from New Zealand and he came and said hi to us and then one of the E.'s in our district was like "he is Hawaiian" and I was like "did you not just hear him speak? He is from New Zealand" and then he's like "no, he looks Hawaiian. He is from Hawaii" and I was like "you are stupid." So I went down the hall and got that E. and had him come back to our classroom and tell us all where he was from, which was New Zealand. and then he leaves the classroom (way cool E. by the way- except he has weird names for things:) rubbish bin? whaaaa?) and this E. in my district STILL thought he was Hawaiian. After he had just told us he was Tongan and from New Zealand. and I was like "ok I"m sorry- but did you just hear what he said?" and he's like "He looks Hawaiian. Tongans, Samoans, Hawaiians, they're all the same" ohhhhhhhh man. I was like "ok please. Next time we're anywhere- I would just LOOOOOOOOOOOVE for you to go up to said Tongan and call him Samoan. see what happens" (this is a fairly big E.) and then that E. was like "sister picard, have you ever been to BYU-Hawaii? They're all the same" and then I just looked at him and was like "I'm sorry I can't talk to you right now- or I will fight you. you are dumb" ahahahahah I'm sorry- I probably shouldn't have shared that story. Probably sheds a poor light on myself- alas. It's true. And I thought it was funny. And then he just kept trying to talk to me! oh dumb. I was like E.- I can't stand you right now and you utter ignorance when it comes to anything NOT white. Thank you leave me alone now. He has no social grace. VERY sheltered I'm thinking :) oh well ! I've really liked my district and zone on the whole. THe Bulgarians left on monday- but one of the E.'s didn't get his visa! So they sent him to CA till he does- which was way sad. And then our E.'s leave for Denver in the morning! Crazy business. It's sad but at the same time it's SOOOOOO exciting! Well- I hope that wasn't too negative or anything :) On a positive note! Ok- actually I'm not sharing that story it's too embarassing to me. Write me if you want to know it and I'll write you a letter back :) BUT! I love the gospel. I love Conference. I LOVE the prophet. Oh wait! Really quick! Our Sunday night devo was a singing one- it was SOOOOO sweet. We just sang a bunch of hymns. ANd I don't think anywhere besides the MTC will you find a bunch of 19-21 yr old guys singing hymns SO enthusiastically :) I love it. I love the MTC. I love life. Ok- I sound dumb. But I love you all! PLEASE keep writing. Esp mom- she's the best at filling me in. And dad has been AWESOME with the letters- I'm writing back today I promise! And again sorry if I don't get back soon enough- promise I still have love:) LOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard