January 25, 2010 yay

Family. Family. Family! (that was sung in my head like Elton John- Saturday! Saturday! Saturday!)

Life is soo good when you are a missionary named Sister Picard! I love to be here in this lovely Garden State of New Jersey. The weather is really wacked out lately. We’re having torrential rain right now. I like it. No one else does. I don’t like tracting in it much, but you win some you lose some. We had an AWESOME investigator at church yesterday. His name is Ariv and he is from India. His English is pretty good. The members did SUCH an AMAZINg job at fellowshipping him! It was AWESOME! I was so proud of them. It’s funny because you kind of think of your investigators as these little babies and you are worried about them making friends and having a good experience. He definitely did. We’ve have baptisms in the branch every weekend this month! It’s AWESOME! One of these days, it’ll actually be our investigatorJ But! I love being around all the people in the branch and helping out the elders when we can. Life is good. Missionary-ing is good. I’m not sure what else to say. Keep up the good work! Be good. Oh I know! So we don’t have the priesthood (duh) so we have the Elders give priesthood blessings to our members/investigators. Can I just say how much I LOVE the priesthood since I’ve been a missionary? It really is the power of God on Earth. I LOVE IT!

Sister Picard

January 18, 2010 ultra lord.......LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE

Fam-to the-ly

I have to admit, ok, this is going to be a long sentence. I was just thinking when I first came out on my mission I couldn't understand why all the older sisters didn't really care about e-mailing because I was so obsessed with it and always felt like I had something important to say. Now I know. I don't even know what to write anymore. I'm sure that there are exciting things going on, I'm just not sure what at the moment. I. am. a MISSIONARY!!!!!!!! :) Also- I would like to compliment Father P on his exceptional photog skills so evidently displayed in the pictures that you recently sent. Appreciated. :) Oh and! There looks to be a little picture in my senior picture on the wall. What is that of? Just curious.
So! Even though we haven't gotten a baptism, our branch is doing really well. We've had baptisms each of the past 3 weeks and we should have them the next two weeks. For some strange reason, I have been doing these musical numbers. I think it's because so many people here haven't grown up in the church so they aren't used to hearing really musically gifted people so they are happy with whatever comes out of my mouth. :) New Jersey is great. I'm really working on refining my accent. My most favorite is a recent convert named Marianne. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE her. She is my age. She is amazing. She loves being around the missionaries. And we love her. Oh! I know! So, I was talking to one of the spanish sisters that lives with us, Sister Erickson, and she totally knows Ris. She was roommates with Ris's bff Lauren. So we talk about how crazy she is together:) (I can say that because I dont' think I've heard from Ris since I was in the MTC. So- she is probably married or something by now. Whatevs. We're still one true friends. Forever and always.) We have a 70 coming for a mission tour in a couple weeks. That should be lots of fun. I love being here. It's kind of stressing me out knowing that there is an end in sight. Bleh. But! Onward and upward! Keep being good. Do work. Missionary work that is. I LOVE YOU! The Church is SO true. It has to be. Or my life wouldn't be as AWESOME as it is. I love to teach people. I love to see how people's lives change when they start to focus on Jesus Christ. It is amazing. And I love it. Almost as much as I love you fam!!!!!!! (Oh how nice:) )

Sister Picard

January 11, 2010 "New Jersey is for lovers!"

Family!

Well, it sounds like you may have been a wee bit concerned about me last week. Sorry about that. No need to fret. I am absolutely fine. I’m a missionary- God takes care of me.  But! It has been decided I’m hypoglycemic. So that’s lame. But! Now I don’t have to eat things I don’t want to. I just tell people, “Sorry I’m hypoglycemic I can’t eat that.” I’m telling you- when I am made queen of the world I’m going on a crusade about healthy eating in the church. Because it doesn’t exist. It’s a problem. Sisters should not all gain weight on their missions. Or become hypoglycemic. But! That is my soap box so I should get off it so I keep this letter nice and cheery. 
I hope that you had a good new year! And that mama had a good birthday! Sister Black and I went outside after we got done planning and shot of these little poppers that her mom sent her. We held them up by our foreheads, spun around three times and then said “BAPTIZE SOMEONE! SALUD!” and then we shot them off. We’re not quite sure what salud means, but we think it will probably help us get a baptism. 
I love the members in our Branch. I think it has been a really great experience for me to see how truly dedicated to the gospel people here have to be. There isn’t a big support system. If you are an active member of the church, you WILL have 32094804 callings and be expected to pull your own weight because there aren’t enough people around to baby you. People here have to have strong testimonies of the gospel, and it’s hard. That’s why we have so many less actives. Sister Black and I feel like we’ve made a lot of progress with the less actives in our area and we’re continuing to push our progressing investigators towards baptism. Pray for us!
I love life. I love being a missionary. I love the kind of lifestyle that I get to live while being a missionary. I’m kind of freaking out knowing that it will end. Don’t worry though- I’ll try not to be one of those weirdo freako nun RM girls. Can’t make any promises though! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So much! Be good!

Sister Picard

January 4, 2010 "I got soul but I'm not a soldier...."

If you didn't hear, Sister Picard was hospitalized on Saturday for severe headaches and delirium. They did an MRI, CAT Scan, EKG and EEG, all were negative. She was released today and is feeling better. Thanks for all the prayers on her behalf. She received a Priesthood blessing and was told she would recover 100% and complete her mission. Her Mission President is a neuro-radiologist so that makes me feel better. She said he made sure she was at the best hospital, best doctors and everything that should be done was. So hopefully she will continue to improve and whatever caused this "ailment" is long gone :)
Angie
P.S. It was comforting to know Colie would fly out at a moments notice, if allowed. Colie always has our back!

FAMILY!!!!!!!!

Well- this week has decidedly been the weirdest week of my mission. But you know what?! After the trials come the blessings because one of our investigators is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And that's all that is:) So- life is good.
I have really had my testimony of the priesthood increased. I don't think I ever really realized how neat it is until my mission. It's the best. When we have faith, God answers our prayers. He is always there for us. Especially when we need Him the most. I LOVE IT! I love church, I wish everyone would just join by now! I tried preaching in the hospital- I may have come off as a half-delirious crazy with gunga in my hair and a nightgown on..... but so it goes! I need to go. Sorry so short! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good.

Sister Picard