Family-
Well- we're just about all flooded around here. It has been raining like CRAZY! I love it though. I think rain is the BEST! You already knew that:) All the crops look like they were planted in a pond or something. I don't mind though. I think it's great.
So! Transfers were yesterday. I'm still in good ol Nauvoo! I'm actually really happy about that because I want to be here for Pageant. This transfer takes us part way through Pageant and then I only have one more transfer! What the what the!? Bleh. That's gross. I think I'll probably just be a missionary forever. It's funny because this is really what feels normal to me now. Waking up, studying, wearing ugly clothes. That's my life and I love it:)
The Young Ambassadors are here in town last week and this week. It's been fun to have them around. They are really phenomenal. We are only able to watch each performance once during the summer so we saw their show last week. It was so fun! They sang Sir Duke and I was dancing in my seat and everyone around me was laughing at me. I love that song. It made me think of the fam. It also made me think of the p-a-r-t-y we're going to have. Just bust a move! :)
One of my favorite things that happened this week actually happened yesterday. On Sundays I serve at the Carthage Visitor's Center. Yesterday a huge tour bus group came in from Utah County. It was a group of recently graduated seminary students. I LOVE YOUTH TOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are my most favorite things in the whole entire world. I would give those all day every day if I could. Well actually that may be kind of tiring if I were to do that because I really pour my whole heart into those tours. I know that I really should and do try my best in every tour but I really REALLY try with the youth tours. I love it because I know that they are all at such an important point in their lives. A lot of them don't really want to be here, but they are because their parents made them. At the same time there are those that truly appreciate the experience. So I feel like I am begging them to feel the Spirit the whole time I'm with them. I will say that the most spiritual experiences I have ever had have been with the youth. Not that other people are incapable of feeling the Spirit, but wow, the youth are just amazing. I tell them that. I also tell them that I can't force their agency. All I can do as a sister missionary is tell them what I know and it's up to them whether or not they are going to get all that Heavenly Father wants them to out of the tour. I also ask them to say a little prayer to soften their hearts, that they will be receptive to any promptings the Spirit might give them. I also tell them that while all the facts that I give them are important and interesting the one thing I want them focusing most on during that whole tour is how they FEEL. If they forget everything that I say I want them to remember how they feel at Carthage Jail or Nauvoo or wherever it is. So- I'm sure they all think I'm a crazy person. The whole tour I spend bearing down in pure testimony of Jesus Christ (I think that's a scripture quote:) ) and then getting really emotional and telling them how the gospel is the best and most correct thing in the whole world and how we will never have more joy than the joy we receive in sharing the gospel and how much Heavenly Father loves them and how important it is to be an example of the believers and on and on and on. I kind of feel or I suppose felt like when Elder Holland gets in his really "fire and brimstone" moments and just kind of goes off. But I was doing that the whole tour. It's fun. And I just tell them that I'm sorry if I seem so overly excited or passionate about the gospel but that if it seems that way, it's because I am. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love bearing my testimony. I am so grateful for the many experiences that God has given me throughout my mission that have helped to solidify all the different aspects of my testimony so that when I say that I know Christ is my Savior I mean it, or when I say I know that Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration I really mean it or when I say that I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God I really really mean it. So- I suppose it's okay to sometimes go through hard things as a missionary- because like I said, every experience I've had has only served to strengthen my resolve that this is the only true Church on the earth and how grateful I am to be a part of it. I love my life. I love being a missionary. I love you!!!!!!!!! I love you very very much and will be so happy when I get to give you all big hugs:) hug hug kiss kiss:) Be good- do work.
Sister Picard
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