February 22, 2010 "Fearbuster"

Family-

Well well well. I was transferred! Believe it or not. I kind of thought I was going to die in Paterson, which I wouldn't have minded at all. It's a cool place. Probably the best ever. Luckily! I was transferred to the best ever place! Yes I know, there are multiple best evers. Well. Let's see. There is just too much to ever talk about. At the same time, nothing really to talk about. :) My new companion is Sister Neves. She came out with Sister Black so she is still pretty new. Well- I am still pretty new:) HA! She is from Brazil. She reminds me of my dear Sister Granja whom I love and miss so much! Okay. I have a funny story. Then I am just kind of bored of writing e-mails. I'm sorry. I've just kind of hit that wall I guess. It was bound to happen sometime. So I hope I'm not disappointing anyone. Maybe then they should write me and give me some questions or something to write about:) ha! So! We went to Newark for “Fear Buster” last Monday night. It's when the new missionaries first get here and we go to downtown Newark and contact. It's pretty fun. Actually- it's really fun. Actually- I LOVE it! I love talking to people. (Now you are rolling your eyes are saying, “duh- you like hearing yourself talk that's what:)”) okay! Back to the story! It had been snowing and we may have gotten stuck (well- I got us stuck) in a little bit of snow. In downtown Newark. So these guys came over and started to talk to Sister Black (I was in the car remember.) I guess she must have been looking a wee bit frightened because then the guy goes, “Relax, I'm a cop.” and flashes his gun and badge thing. They were undercover. So then they pushed us out of the snow and let us park for free in this parking lot! So then! We went to the park where we contact people. It's always fun to see all the different kinds of people. My favorite was this big black woman. I kept trying to talk to her about the church and about how we have a living prophet and the Book of Mormon etc etc and she kept telling me about her church of the prophets that she goes to and how she is a seer! (a SEE-uh) then she would start stomping and speaking in tongues. It was pretty awesome. I am really excited to be serving here in Emerson. It's definitely different from Paterson, but it will be awesome! I had a nice little surprisey on Sunday. It was the first time I'd ever been to church here, and who walks in? Some of my favorites from Paterson! They had found out where I was transferred to and came to church. Then they went to Paterson right after:) Double church- double blessings:) It was so good to see them! As corny as it may sound- it makes me really excited for after we die and we are all together again! It will be so happy! SO happy! It makes me want to make sure that I am doing what I'm supposed to so I can be with all my friends:) I LOVE MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!! Be good. Do work. Of the missionary variety:) Thanks for being awesome. I LOVE YOU!

Sister Picard

February 15, 2010

Family!

This week was really really crazy. We had a huge snowstorm! They pretty much closed down everything. Also- the day before the snowstorm the car’s brakes like froze off or something. All I know is that it was making a weird noise. So we took it to Pep Boys and they told us that they wouldn’t let us leave the place driving that car because we would die. Oh goodnessJ So then! The next day we had the snowstorm of our life! It seriously dropped like a foot and a half. Boom. But! It was fun to read scriptures all day. President had us stay in. Then we had Zone Conference. We were supposed to have a GA come and visit- but he couldn’t because of the snowstorm. But it was still good. I love going to Zone Conference. I especially love getting chastised and then feeling all bad and wanting to do better. It’s refreshing! J I am being serious. In other news, I am getting transferred. Don’t know where to- but I am. Also- it’s my last transfer here! Bleh! Also! We are going to go and do Fear Buster tonight. They take all the new missionaries that just got here and then I get to go and be a “Street Ma” and then I am comps with the new missionary. We get dropped off in the middle of downtown sketchy Newark and we preach the gospel. It’s amazing. I’m excited!!!!!!! I am also excited to see where I am going. However, I do love love LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE Paterson New Jersey more than most anything. It is the BEST! Mission is sweet. Gospel is sweet. I really can’t even believe I’m lucky enough to be a missionary. So few girls get to go. I am one of them. I’m LUCKY!!!!!!! As much as I try to make up for it by serving God and others as best as I can, God always turns around and blesses me so much more than I deserve. He must love meJ I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS- my predictions for 2015 are finally in the mail. Well- they will be when I put them in there today. ALSO! I’m making up a sweet playlist of songs to listen to when we get back and have our dance PARTAY!!!!!! Love you fam! Be good!

Sister Picard

February 8, 2010 it's been a minute:) (that's jersey slang for ya!)

Family-

I wish that my life was a little bit more interesting, but alas! You must listen to me each week tell you how cool it is to be a missionaryJ Things that happened that I loved this week. Ok! I have to tell you. We were over at a members house last night and I love this family so much. The mother and father are going to the temple this Saturday to receive their own endowment. Then hopefully they will get sealed soon after that! They have the CUTEST little black babies I have ever seen before ever. AJ is their baby baby and he will be two soon. He got my tag from me and he was wearing it last night. Man. The whole not holding kid rule is SO lame. So I give them all lots and lots of big hugs. That is one of my favorite things about being a missionary. All the little kids LOVE to give us hugs. We get bombarded every time we see them. I love kids. I LOVE kids. I will probably have a bajillion. You can thank Sister Bahr for that. She’s my hero. J Speaking of the Bahr’s! We got to go to Stake Conference for the Caldwell Stake yesterday because we were the special music! Sister Black is the pianist, so we had to go even though we aren’t in that stake. The stake conference was split into two sessions, one Spanish and one English. New Jersey is awesome. Elder Stephen B. Jones of the 70 was there. The talks that were given were awesome. I really liked them. Surprisingly enough, I understood most of the Spanish meeting. This sounds really crazy, but sometimes I feel like I know Spanish, even though I don’t. I mean- I didn’t really ever study it that much or anything, but it seems like it makes sense to me. So! I did really want to go Spanish speaking, but I figure that would have been too easy of a way to learn it. So instead I’m going to learn it when I go back to school. I’m going to learn a million languages I’ve also decided since being here. Oh New Jersey! I also discovered yesterday that I can definitely tell the difference between a Jersey and New York accent. I guess I’m really a Jersey girl nowJ So! Today we get to go to the mission home to practice for a musical number. Am I the only one that sees the hilarity of being involved in SO many stinking musical numbers? We’re also performing at church on Sunday with a recent convert. Crazy crazy that’s what I have to say about that. I love being on my mission. I love that I get to study the gospel so much. I know that it’s a time when I get to help others, but I see how much the Lord is really helping me to not be such a lame-oJ Sometimes I feel guilty because of all the blessings that I see in my life. So then it makes me think about D&C 82:10. I know that I have been given SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much in my life. I also know that there is a reason for it. God expects me to use my blessings and talents to further His work. I’m happy to do whatever it is that He needs done. The more we give to the Lord the happier our lives are. That is a true principle. I know that. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! I miss you!!!!!!!!!! Give Baby big hugs from me on her fantastic birthday! And dance a lot! And partay it up Picard style. Only like we canJ I LOVE YOU! Be good!

Sister Picard

February 1, 2010 Carlos Bakery

Family!

So! I have a few really exciting things to write about this week. There have been lots of baptisms going on in the branch lately, but there was an extra special one on Saturday! My good friend Cierra got baptized! She is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! I know that Sister Black and I weren't the ones that officially taught her, but we definitely have a special connection with her. I love her! Her testimony is incredible. She has such a desire to do God's will. Her baptism was amazing. Sister Black and I sang. Apparently, I am just a little prima donna these days. Sorry I don't sing better everyone! Oh well. Also! I was able to go on an exchange to Jersey City which was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fun! I was with a sister who has only been here as long as Sister Black named Sister Tupa. She is from Tonga and didn't know ANY English before she got here. Her English is amazing. It's better than people in the branch who have been in America for years. Gift of tongues:) God really does help his missionaries. It was fun to be in Jersey City because there are SO many people. The Hoboken area is supposed to be like mini-Manhattan. I got a picture of Carlo's Bakery just for Daniel. :) We got to teach some amazing investigators that they have. I got to talk to so many people! It kind of reminded me of the good ol Visitor Center days when there are people every where that you have to go say hi to. I would keep smiling and saying, “HI!” to everyone that we saw. I'm pretty sure that they thought we were crazy, especially when they saw the missionary tags. This guy tried to sell me some perfume, so I gave him a passalong card and said that I wasn't allowed to wear perfume. :) I tried to help this old lady at the post office and she yelled at me. Oh I LOVE IT! I'm being serious. I really am. I was so happy that whole entire day. Oh! It's a walking area there. The only one for sisters. And it's approximately 2 degrees outside. Right on the Hudson. Sister Tupa calls it “Faith Island” because only missionaries with lots of faith can be there. I told her I must've only had enough faith for one day:) I had these hand warmers the Elders gave me to use (after they made fun of me for going on an exchange to a walking area the coldest day of the year). I put about five in each mitten because it was so cold. It was fun to walk around. And ride the bus. I was all urban:) ha! Being a missionary is really the best thing in the whole world. Before we came to the library we got to go practice with the mission choir for one of the stake conferences on Sunday. It was so fun to be around all those missionaries. There is such a good spirit every time so many of us get together. Even if the music isn't the best, the Spirit is SO strong when a whole bunch of missionaries sing. I'm going to miss being here so much. So I'm trying to not think about it. But- I'm sure going back to Nauvoo will be good too. Bleh. Not thinking about it. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep being good. I miss you and love you lots!

Sister Picard