Sister Picard at Nauvoo

August 9, 2010 Last post...come what may and love it:)

2010-08-09T16:06:00.001-07:00

Family-

Well I bet you thought the time would never come- but here it is! The very last e-mail that I will be writing to you as a missionary! I know I still don't leave for a long time, but I guess I don't have a preparation day next week. So! Here it goes! I don't have anything too terribly interesting to write you. How do you follow up seeing an apostle? :) We went to Springfield, IL last week with the Ludwig's. That was a lot of fun! We were able to see the Lincoln Museum and Presidential Library and Tomb and the old capital building. It was actually really funny to kind of get a view of how we must look to people when we give tours or annouce movies or any of the things we do here. I loved it though. Mostly I loved being with all the sisters I have grown to love so much since we started our missions together! I'm trying to think of what has even been going on! Things have slowed down quite a bit since Pageant is over. We have the BYU International Folk Dance team here now. We received almost DOUBLE the amount of referrals we did last year. So! Call Center is BUSY BUSY BUSY! They'll be calling on those cards for the next 5 years- haha:) I don't say that as though I don't like calling. I really love calling now. It has been a mighty change of heart you know. Although I will say I may never want to talk on the phone again:) Funny! I am funny. OH! I know. I lost my voice. Well, it is starting to come back now. Everyone just calls me Elder Picard because I speak so low and raspy sounding. I will say, losing one's voice as a Visitor's Center sister is NOT a great idea. But! It is what it is. So I tried to make myself as useful as possible. I filed a whole bunch of cards in the Call Center. Due to my time as a library assistant (NERD) in middle school I am VERY proficient at alphabetical order and I have been able to employ those skills as of late. I also used some of my paper cutting skills to cut the 102831902832028 programs for Sacrament meeting. Then I was shredding a whole bunch of our old referral cards that have already been entered and the missionaries sent. I was SO efficient that I actually burned out the shredder. So while everyone else was calling I was downstairs with scissors shredding the rest of the stack. I think S/Barry just about peed her pants when she saw me she was laughing so hard. Well- I had a job and it needed to be completed. So! That is what I have been doing.

I love being a missionary. More than being a missionary- I love the gospel. I think that is why missionaries say they "love being a missionary" so often. We probably do, but at the same time probably for the first time in our lives we are really experiencing the joy that only comes for the gospel of Jesus Christ and particularly in sharing it with others. I love my Savior so much! I am so glad that He allows me to represent Him and share the gospel. I love reading the Book of Mormon. You all know of my affinity for reading, and that has now all been transferred to reading the Book of Mormon in particular. I could read it all day every day. It makes me feel so good. It brings peace to my soul. I love my Heavenly Father. I cannot even believe how much He blesses me! I tell all the visitors that come if there is one thing they need to remember about Sister Picard it's that I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I love bearing my testimony so frequently and I hope to be able to find ways to do that for the rest of my life. I think that has been one of the blessings of serving a VC mission. I have had the opportunity to really figure out better how to incorporate missionary work into everyday life. I can really talk to anyone about anything and bring it all back to the Savior. So! Moral of the story- serving at the VC really isn't too bad:) I'm glad that God knew how much I would love being a missionary and that He let me come. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for being the family.... of my life! :)

Sister Picard

August 2, 2010

2010-08-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

Family!

Well- I have about two seconds to write to you. We don't have a preparation day this week because all of the 2nd summer sisters are going with President and Sister Ludwig to Springfield to go see the Presidential Library this week. Should be neat. However, I lose out on my day of rest:) Alas!

Most important things first. Pageant is over! We were able to receive SO many referrals this year it was amazing! I love it. I'm tired. It was great. Love it. Actually that wasn't the most important thing. The most important thing is that Elder Neal L. Anderson from the Quorom of the Twelve was here this past week. He was filming for the new Special Witnesses of Christ and reorganizing the Pageant Presidency. It was actually kind of funny what happened one day. We had just gotten off shift and had to go greet and we were early so I thought, "I want to go see the river!" So I drove to the river and there was a big film crew and everything down there. Ha. I must be really in tune, just drawn to where apostles are! :) I was able to listen to him speak on several different occassions. The best was we had a special meeting with him at the mission home. I could really spend forever writing about that, but I have approximately 2 seconds left. Sum up- I need to get married! Also- this is something I think was so important. Elder Anderson is a great guy and everything, but I never really felt anything different around him generally speaking. However, as soon as he started testifying of Jesus Christ the Spirit that filled the room was so tangible you could have cut it with a knife. It was INCREDIBLE! I was thinking afterwards, really Elder Anderson is a regular guy with a great responsibility. As soon as he started to doing what is unique to his calling and testifying as a special witness of Christ, wow, it was amazing. I will never ever ever be able to deny him being an Apostle of the Lord. And! I will never be able to deny that Christ is our Savior and that He lives. What a great experience! I'll tell you more about it later. :)

Well! I love you a lot! I'll try to write more next week! LOVE LOVE LOVE! Be good- do work :)

Sister Picard

July 26, 2010

2010-07-31T13:33:00.001-07:00

Family-

Well, so much has been going on lately! Pageant is just crazy time around Nauvoo. It is SO fun though! I love feeling busy and that I have a purpose.

My most favorite thing that happened this week really doesn't have a whole lot to do with me. Each night at the Pageant all of the sisters, some of the elders from the Des Moines mission and the Pageant family cast are out actively seeking referrals from EVERYONE! This year has been incredible in the amount of referrals we have seen. Each night there is a cast meeting and some of the sisters are assigned to attend. I was able to go on Saturday. The night prior to that we had an INSANE night with referrals. We smashed the previous record. Almost doubled it. It was all thanks to these 3 young men. One of them got up to speak about it and the first words out of his mouth brought the Spirit so strong! I had visions of him as a missionary training everyone:) It made me miss my little brother! He and two of his friends had set a goal to get 500 referrals on Friday night. He spoke to us on the importance of setting goals. I was there at the missionary kiosk that night as they were getting referrals. When it was time for us to go they were begging us to stay because they only needed a few more. They ended up staying out till 12:30 that night. When all was said and done they had gathered 523 referrals. That is a miracle. A complete miracle. It was all according to the faith of those young men. I still can't get over it. They were all real referrals too, not just random names written down. Oh it just made me so happy to be a missionary! And so grateful to be a member of the Church!

Bishop Keith B. McMullin spoke to us and I don't remember if I wrote to you about that. We have had a LOT of General Authorities coming through lately. It's that time of year:) But a few of the times he addressed us have been my favorite so far this summer. He gave one talk just to the young missionaries here. I had been having a difficult time coming to terms with the fact that I will be going home (if you can imagine) and everything he said addressed every concern I might have had. It's amazing what the Spirit can do! Even if his words weren't a perfect fit for my situation, what the Spirit spoke to me was. I LOVE IT! I love church. I love Jesus Christ! My most favorite thing is to testify of Him. All the time.

On a lighter note! I was working at the VC on Friday and had just come in for my shift and guess who I see walking through the front door? BECCA ANDERSON! Well- not Anderson anymore, and her husband! I flipped! It was definitely a blessing for me. Such a tender mercy to be able to see her. It made me feel good about life. And that not everyone has forgotten that I exist. And she was so cute and happy! It still makes me happy. Oh man. I am currently smiling because of it:) Also- a few of the sisters from last year including my favorite favorite trainer S/Brinkerhoff are here. That has also helped me to be happy! Heavenly Father is just blessing me a lot lately. He must love me I think:)

Last little tid bit to show you that I am still Sister Picard. So we have a lost and found here in the VC. For several weeks we had this little toy dalmation that barks and moves and wags its tail. So I finally decided no one was coming to claim him. So I did. For the VC. He is our official dog. His name is Pork Chop. Or Chop Chop. Choppy. Porky. Chop Su-i (no idea how to spell that) or whatever else you like to call him. I call him tension relief. :) And everyone probably thinks I'm crazy. But! What else is new! He makes us all laugh.

Well I love you! So does Jesus Christ! I am learning that more and more each day:) Be good. Do work:)

Sister Picard

july 19, 2010

2010-07-31T13:32:00.001-07:00

Family!

So- my life is just crazy crazy crazy right now! Pageant is in full swing. Long nights and busy days! It's fun thought. It keeps my mind occupied and time is just flying. I had a lot of really neat experiences this past week. Now that it is actually time to write them down, I kind of forget everything. It is raining like crazy outside right now. So that is also distracting me. I love the rain. It's pretty much like a monsoon. Oh I know! It has been really hot and humid out here lately. Good news is, I got a little tan when I've been outside greeting for Pageant things. Bad news is I think I sweated out about 0298403984234092384 gallons in the meantime. I was serving in the VC and I saw this guy named Josh I had worked with in the Ath Dept so that was exciting. Then he said, "Do you want to meet my wife?" and I said, "Sure!" and come to find out she was the girl who had taken my job. So! Moral of the story is! My going on a mission helped them to final eternal wedded bliss. Thank you thank you:) Referrals have been amazing this year! I don't know what is in the water, but we have been just raking them in! People that are coming to the Pageant are so prepared! Before the Pageant we go out and try to get referrals from the visitors. Sometimes there are so many people it is hard to know who to talk to. I was in the Pre-Show and I said a little prayer to Heavenly Father asking Him to please help me know who to talk to. I then saw this couple and went over to talk to them. Turns out that they were non-members from the area and they self-referred! I love it. I also have really enjoyed being able to start making calls on Pageant referrals. Not that I don't love the other kind too, but Pageant referrals are just the BEST! My companion, Sister Pulleyn, is great. I am in the big room now so there are six of us living in one room. Don't worry, we have lots of room unity. The other morning two of the companionships walk out to go to preparation meeting and we were all wearing green shirts. We got lots of weird looks, but we were definitely unified:) I love being a missionary! I think it's great. I love my life! I was able to serve at Carthage yesterday. It's kind of bittersweet because I wasn't able to serve there at all this summer, only on Sundays. So I miss the Spirit that is SO present there. The tours there are the best. I feel like it isn't Sister Picard speaking at all there. Truth be told, I am kind of lame by myself. I can feel the Spirit testifying through me while I am there though. I think that is why I love it there so much. It has been a real privilege to be able to serve the Lord in a place that is so special to so many people. It is very humbling. I mean that sincerely- I hope I don't sound like I am just saying that to say it. Well! I need to get to gettin! Sorry- I'll write longer..... sometime. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good. Life is good.

Sister Picard

PS- Explanation of the title of my e-mail. People make fun of me all the time because my shoes are falling apart. And my tights are falling apart. And my knee highs have holes in them. And my clothes are all thrashed. So- sometimes I just want to say that line. That's all :)

July 12, 2010 dad's birthday

2010-07-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

Family-

Well, what is even going on in my life? I will just tell you. First of all, this is way crazy but we had transfers yesterday. This is officially the last transfer of my MISSION!?!?!?!??! Weird. I am staying in Nauvoo. My companion is Sister Pulleyn. She is the 18th and final companion I will have. Crazy huh? I'll have more companions than months on my mission:) I still have Monday Preparation Day which is nice. I switched rooms in the house and also bathrooms. I really don't know why I am telling you all of this because it's not that interesting. Maybe you think that I am sad about never going out to Carthage this summer, but I will tell you that I am perfectly okay with that. I had my turn last summer. They just need my sparkling personality here in Nauvoo I suppose:) Things have gotten pretty crazy around here let me just tell you. Pageant began last week. It rained and rained and rained some more. On Monday night they had a dress rehearsal. I was actually greeting for a show called Rendezvous and was standing outside when the down pour hit. It all happened so fast. I was sopping wet by the time someone offered me an umbrella. So, I came to terms with getting rained on. Then we had to walk up to Pageant. It really was as though someone had dumped a bucket on my head. I mean a bucket of water. Ha. Then it rained on Tuesday night a little bit. Then it really rained on Wednesday night. So, we got used to the rain. They still had Pageant though! Wow, I am writing really boring sentences I am sorry. What else happened? Oh I know! I was serving in the VC on Saturday and in walks the Woodbury's from Moscow! How crazy huh?! It was fun to be able to talk to them for a minute. I can't remember if it was last week or the week before but we had just arrived at the VC for our shift and a film had just gotten out and this man comes out of the theatre and looks at me and says, "Does the name Applonie mean anything to you?" And I kind of looked at him weird then he said, "Sara!" And came over and gave me a big hug. I guess my face was pretty classic. You have to remember, I have had a 3 foot personal bubble for the past year and a half and someone getting inside of that freaked me out. I really didn't know how to respond. It was Uncle Stan's BFF Matt Black. I thought you might think that was funny. Well here is a neat story for you. I was in the VC the other day and these people walked in and I offered to give them a tour. Turns out that they are non-members from... NEW JERSEY!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's riiiiiiight. Guess what else? They totally self-referred! So Heavenly Father answers my prayers. I told Him I would try to get as many NJ referrals as possible and He helps to make it happen. I also have given a lot of tours to Spanish speakers. It pretty much breaks my heart and then I go cry afterwards because I'm so sad that I can't speak Spanish. But I try to always bear my testimony in Spanish. So I'm doing what I can. It's so neat though that no matter what language you are doing it in, bearing testimony of Jesus Christ always brings the Spirit. I am so glad that I get to be a missionary. I am so glad that Heavenly Father loves me so much to let me be a missionary. I love knowing that I can never trust too much in the Lord. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to be happy. That really does mean that whatever does happen to us in this life is really honestly truthfully for our good. So, I don't have any reason to worry or get anxious, because I know that everything is going to be okay. I really like that feeling. Well! I love you all so much! Keep praying for me- I need to finish up you know- Picard style. Leave it all on the floor right?:) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

July 5, 2010 when you're here, we're here (nauvoo pageant)

2010-07-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Family-

Well let me just think about what has been going on this past week. Oh first of all before I forget- I want to get Rachelley's new address. I keep thinking she will e-mail it and then she doesn't. So I haven't been sending letters because I don't want them to go to Ireland and her be in Scotland or something crazy like that. So! What has been going on in my life? Not a whole lot out of the ordinary. Pageant is starting tomorrow so that means we will start to get busy busy busy. I like it though. I like having a purpose. I am very excited for all the opportunities to get referrals!!!!!!! I'm excited to meet all the neat families and people that will come. I am not so excited to get eaten alive by chiggers, but! it is what it is. Let me try to think of funny things that have happened. Well- my pioneer dress. It's the same purple behemoth that I had last year. I think it's probably about 40 years old. Which means that it was first a YPM stage dress, then a YPM outdoor dress, then a YPM site dress, then! a YSM (me) dress. So- it's been through the ringer. Consequently it is now falling apart. There are holes in it everywhere. One of the sleeves is literally falling off. I tried to tape it back on, not effective. But- I don't want to go and get another dress from the sewing room because they are all ugly. So- I'd rather be in my hole-y dress than in an ugly one. These kids were making fun of me the other day, that was pretty great:) We were waiting to get picked up the other day. I was working at the Cultural Hall and the Band Wagon had come to do their concert. I always like to go and pet the horses (I'm Native right?:) ) and it was the calmest team, their names are Jim and John. Then one of the teamsters said, "I betcha you wouldn't kiss that there horse," or something very teamster-ish sounding. Then I said, "Watch me." So then I kissed Jim on the nose. And someone happened to take a picture at that moment. So, if you hear of me kissing on my mission, I'm just kissing a stinky old horse named Jim. I know a great experience I had. I was serving at the Cultural Hall and when we open the sites in the morning we have to clean. So I volunteered to clean the third floor. So I went up and was mopping the whole place and it was great because a) I got to be alone and b) I was just singing the whole time I was cleaning. Not to say that I am a great singer, it was just really fun to sing the hymns just by myself. If you can imagine, it gets a little crazy being around 1203948102948120498124 other sisters all the time. So I considered it a tender mercy. I know that God loves me. The greatest thing about that is that He loves everyone else just the same. One of the best things that I get to do is to help everyone else feel that love that God has for them. I am really so excited for Pageant and the great spirit that will be here in Nauvoo. It's tiring and crazy, but it's also so rewarding. I love sharing the gospel, and I know I will get to share it quite often in the next few weeks. If you think of anyone that you want to share the Pageant CD with, PLEASE let me know. It's a great referral because hey, everyone likes free music and it isn't quite as intimidating as a Book of Mormon or whatever else we usually send. So! Let everyone know- because now is the BEST time to refer. I'm especially going to try to get lots of NJ referrals:) I don't know how- but I will!!!!! Well I love you mucho mucho. Can't even wait to see you. Keep being good- and doing work in the most gospel oriented way possible:)

Sister Picard

June 28, 2010 fam fam

2010-07-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Family-

So this week was pretty great. Things are definitely starting to pick up around here. Vocal Point came this last week which was perfect for all the screaming young women on the youth tours. It was the commemoration of the Martyrdom yesterday. I was able to work at the Jail (we do temporary transfers on Sundays) and give a tour which was great. There was also a program that took place at the jail. The YPM's sang and the band played and then we tried to sing. It was great:) I gave a talk in church yesterday. I used a Holland quote that Rachelley gave me- she's such a good example to me! I wish I was half the missionary that I know she is. I've been trying to practice basic Spanish with Sister Cordoba for Pageant. I have so much respect for Elder Picard and his Spanish skills. Learning a language would have been muy dificil! But! I know he is just rocking it:) I'm so glad he's on a mission with me. I'm glad Rachelle is too. It's good to have good examples. It's been raining a lot still. Yeah- you know my e-mail is lame when all I can think to say is that it has been raining a lot. Oh! I know a funny story, then I'll finish up. So! We are only allowed to watch the YPM's show once this summer and S/Feltwell, Morgan, Schetselaar and I went last week. Do you think I will be weird when I get home? Let me just tell you the extent. So- this nice little play is called High Hopes and Riverboats. It's a musical about the history of Nauvoo. Last summer, I enjoyed it as nice wholesome entertainment. I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO awkwarded out this year. Every time anyone held anyone else's hand, or any of the lovey dovey stuff. Nope. I was not about that. I couldn't even watch. Then afterwards I went and told all of them how awkward it was for me. I think they thought I was weird. I think I'm weird. But- it is what it is. One of the Elders just got off of his real mission and came right here to perform. I asked him how in the world he was able to do it. I guess when they were on stage the director would tell him to like hold a girls hand or whatever and it would take like 5 minutes before he could do it. He said it was even more awkward because everyone was watching him. Oh yes- to be a missionary:) Well. I love you. Sorry I'm not more entertaining. I'll try and do something super duper exciting this week. I love the gospel. I LOVE teaching. I make my companion roleplay the lessons with me because I miss teaching them so much and it'll prepare her for the field. There is nothing ever ever EVER that will bring anyone more happiness than sharing the gospel. I love it:) I LOVE YOU! Be good- do work:)

Sister Picard

June 21, 2010 the sociable

2010-06-24T18:11:00.001-07:00

Family-

So! This is the business. My life is really really good right now. I love being a missionary. I love teaching the people here in Nauvoo. I LOVE reading the Book of Mormon. I love all the fantastic rain storms we get here. Okay funny story for you. So- most of you know I tend to have a fairly "chill" personality. Well- at least I think I do. Maybe you think I don't. But also I may be a lot more chill since I've been a missionary. Actually I know I've chilled out a lot. Ok- sorry. So! We had a pretty big storm the other week and it was like thunder, lightning, maybe a little bit frightening (haha name that song) and then it started hailing or something too I'm not sure but it was past 10:30 and I was in my bed trying to sleep. Then all the sisters in my room started randomly freaking out about life and running around and getting their shoes on? I have no idea what getting shoes on was going to do to save them in case of emergency but whatever. So everyone was running around screaming about this tornado and this is the account from Sister Barry. I guess she walked by my room and saw me and I sat up and looked at everyone (ps I was on the top bunk and definitely had messed up hair) then I just pulled the blanket back over head and laid back down. I figure, "Hey, I'm on a misson. There is absolutely nothing I can do about a tornado. So, let the chips fall.... where they may." Ha. So! We've been having lots of storms lately. In other news! We had our sociable last night. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy that that is over with FOREVER! Sociables over for-EVA! I was roped into singing, but! the good news is that Sister Morgan and I had a duet. I love her so much! We had a lot of MTC companionship unity going on. It was fun, but I'm glad it's over. I had so many awesome families come through the VC this week! I LOVE sweet families! We don't have the privilege of working with a ward so for the week they become my people. It was funny because I had met this one family in the VC and they came to my site the next day so I could give them a tour and I flipped when I saw them and they told the sister I was with that we were BFF's. She asked how I knew them after they left and I said we met in the VC yesterday:) There were two couples that came in from Brazil. I was able to use my sweet Brazilian slangs that Sister Neves would always teach me. They LOVED that. I really appreciated that Heavenly Father loves me enough to have allowed me to be the one to meet them. I don't think it would have meant as much to any of the other sisters but I just loved being with them so much. I love being a missionary. I love to testify of the gospel, even if it's singing on a stage (which is something I definitely did NOT sign up for:)) I love all of you so much!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for being so supportive of me. I love you mucho:) Do work!

Sister Picard

June 13, 2010

2010-06-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

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

June 7, 2010 my life is good...realllly good :))

2010-06-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

Family-

Okay- this week was a particularly good week. Let me tell you something. Mom is always right about everything. I remember when I was little and would be bored or upset or whatever Mom would always say, "Well you are choosing to be bored, so fix it." Or something like that. And then I would get mad at her for saying something so dumb.:) However! Now I am really a believer, and have been for quite some time. We have complete control over our attitudes and outlook on life. This past week I decided everything was going to be AWESOME! And guess what? It was:)

All week long I was trying my very hardest to make everyone that came into the VC or my site know that they were the coolest people in Nauvoo and that there was absolutely nothing else I would rather be doing than talking to them. I made some BFF Beehives from a ward in Indiana. This is the best part of the week. So I gave them a tour at the VC and then I gave them a challenge for when they went to the temple the next day to do baptisms for the dead. The next day they came back to see me (I was serving at the Post Office) and each of them reported to me on the challenge without me even asking! I had asked them to each pick out at least one name while they were doing baptisms and pray for that person and ask specifically that they would accept the gospel. They all came in and told me all the names that they had prayed for! They also said that they had a great experience while they were there. Then they all wrote me little notes. And asked if they could add me on Facebook:) HA! I saw them periodically throughout their time here and it was so fun! We also gave a tour to some RC's from Chicago that was amazing. I love hearing people's conversion stories. Heavenly Father decided to really bless us and I was able to receive three non-member self-referrals in one day last week! It was the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really think a big part of it was that I was trying so hard to be happy about whatever circumstance I was in, even if I didn't want to be in it. I know it's hard to believe, but being a VC sister can be pretty tiring, we have a busy schedule. Oh I have to tell you a funny story. Sister McIntosh and I set a goal to not sit down for an entire shift once and make sure that we were always talking to people. I don't know why but I was wearing heels that day. We had a seven hour shift that day. Standing for that long in high heels- not the smartest idea in the world. But! We did it. And it was fun. I like challenges though- kind of my personality I guess. You couldn't have made me sit down:) In other news, one of the Elders found a baby raccoon. Sister McIntosh named him Melvin. He's a pretty cute little guy. Lots of wildlife here in good ol Nauvoo:) I got to go running the rain this past week with Sister Sorensen. That was my other favorite thing that happened. It was SO good to get pics of Hann's graduation. She looks gorgeous as per usual. Also- I LOVED Buddy and Ben's outfits- I think I will pee my pants when I get to see that video:) Thanks to Baby for the beautiful artwork- she really knows how to draw some master.... pieces:) HA! See- I'm still funny:) I love you all so much. There is nothing better than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep being good- Do work. LOVE YOU!

Sister Picard

May 31, 2010 we're glad you're here at sunset by the mississippi!

2010-06-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

Family-

Well, let me just think. So! Remember how I said that our air conditioner wasn't working last week? Well- it continued to not work for a little while longer:) Let me just say, I am SO grateful for the modern miracle of air conditioning! After a few days of roasting to death we were finally able to get some swamp coolers. I didn't really know what those were, but now we have some in our house until they can figure out the air conditioning. Whatever they are- I am glad they are there! One night I guess it got up to 96 degrees plus in our house. That is pretty hot. But! It's over now. I have a new appreciation for the pioneers and for people with out air conditioners. Also, the rest of the summer I won't feel hot at all:) So! I don't mean that to sound like complaining- I just thought you'd like to know. Also so that I will remember that great experience for the rest of my life.

So- here is the most exciting thing of my week! Sister Jillian Dennis from my Jersey mission came to visit me this week!!!!!! It was SO good to see her! Although- she came and I gave her a tour of the Wilford Woodruff house so she saw me in my pioneer duds. Oh the humiliation:) It has been great to have her here. Although it does make me really heartsick for Jersey. Alas- it is what it is! Nauvoo is great. We've been able to go to the temple a lot which is a real blessing. We were actually going last week to do some ordinances and then a woman stopped my companion and I and asked if we would please do some work for her ancestors. I said of course we would! (don't worry- I'm pretty sure my companion wanted to as well:) ) We saw that woman later on that night and she was so grateful that we had done that for her. I really appreciated that. Today we went to the temple and did sealings. We were able to be there with a woman who was sealing her grandparents to her father. The Spirit was very strong in the room. I love sealings. Everything about our religion leads to families being together FOREVER. Getting to be a part of a family actually being sealed or connected to each other for all eternity, well that is best feeling in the world to me. The church is so true. I can't imagine anything that would ever make me happier than knowing I get to be with my family forever. I can't imagine any family that fits me better either! I know that I am supposed to be a member of this family and I thank my Heavenly Father for letting me be a Picard every day- and not just because we're so stinkin funny... ;) Ha! Oh I miss you. Things are going well here though. I'm sorry I missed Hann's graduation. I'm sure it went really well. I'm so proud of my little sid! She's a smarty! I also hope that Buddy passed his life guarding class. I can't believe how big he looks in all the pics you sent. It weirds me out, he's such a big kid now! PS- Thank you for the pics! Everyone always loves looking at pics of my family:)

I just thought of something else that was fun this week! There is a shortage of senior missionaries in the church so they sent a lot of missionaries here this summer as "service missionaries" so that they wouldn't have to go to the MTC. The missionary department said they wanted those couples to go through a Preach My Gospel training so the young sisters helped in giving them that. I was able to spend a couple of days this past week training the seniors!!!!!!! It was AWESOME! They all have such amazing testimonies. It is really hard to try and fit PMG into a VC setting, but all the seniors that went through the training really understand it now and are more excited for the work. It also reminded me of how fun it is to testify through the tours. I think that we will see an even more dramatic increase in referrals. You know what that means- more time in the call center! I just hope that I can always be doing whatever it is the God needs me to be doing at that time. I really enjoyed teaching the seniors. It made me think maybe I'll have to go and teach at the MTC or something.... :)

Well! My life is really good- don't worry about me. All of the summer shows started this week so that should be fun. Summer is really here and things have started to pick up. We're staying really busy in the VC and the sites. Sister McIntosh is a great companion and we get a long very well. We're going to Burlington today to go shopping! They have a Target there, it is a BIG deal ok? :) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good. I miss you so much, but it's an okay kind of missing I think.:) LOVE YOU!

Sister Picard

May 24, 2010 oh say what is truth tis the fairest gem (that is what I have stuck in my head. random, yes.)

2010-05-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

Family!

Well, what can I even say? My life is just grand. We just had transfers and I am still in Nauvoo. I have forgotten if I told you or not. Transfers here happen frequently! My most favorite thing about being a missionary here continues to be how often we are able to attend the temple. It is even better now that I get to see the Tovey's in there! I love all of the temple missionaries so much! They are all the neatest people. I also love the site missionaries. Old people rock! They are my best friends. I am not joking when I say I will probably come home and only want to hang out with all my senior missionary friends. They're more fun than most people anyways:)

Well! Summer is officially here! It's up in the 90's today. All the new sisters are dying of heat stroke. Ha- I tell them they ain't seen nothin yet:) Isn't that so nice of me? What's really great about it all is that our air conditioner in our house actually is broken. So it is really hot inside. We are all roastin like toasted cheesers it's so hot:) Things are starting to pick up a little as far as visitor's go. Sister McIntosh and I had a really great experience this past week. We had a non-member come in to the VC and we gave him a tour together. He was really receptive and we gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and assigned him to read the Introduction and Moroni 10:3-5. He came into the VC the next day walks straight up to us and says, "I read what you told me to and I have questions." He had not only read what we told him but also the entire book of Moroni. He is studying right now to be a pastor. He actually came to Nauvoo last summer with a whole group of Methodists (I actually remember that group, imagine that:) ) He said that every time he has come in contact with the Church the people that he is with don't want anything to do with it, but that he has always been interested. So, we taught him the first and then we had him watch the Testaments because he had such an interest in the Book of Mormon. We then gave him all the chapters in 3 Nephi about the Savior's ministry in the America's. He said he was going to study it. Moral of the story! The Book of Mormon is the best tool we have as far as conversion goes. It does the best job of testifying of truth and bringing people closer to Christ. I love it because if people are sincere in their desire to learn, you can just sit back and let it happen because they will gain a testimony. So I am excited he was so excited about studying! It was such a blessing for me because I would be lying if I told you I didn't miss being a little proselyting missionary. Sometimes it is difficult here to remember "my purpose" because no one gets baptized. But! I still realize it's missionary work, just a little different, and sometimes done while wearing a pioneer dress (no I don't think I will ever get over that:) ) So! That was a really great experience we had this week. We've been calling in the Call Center a LOT. I like it because it kind of reminds me of knocking. A lot of people don't want to talk to you. Every once and awhile you get a yes and it's all worth it:) We've also been practicing for our "Sunday Sociable." If you don't remember that's when all the sisters get up on stage and we pretend like we can sing and then all of the seniors cry and think we're wonderful. It's really great. But! There are a few songs I probably won't be able to listen to ever again in my life. Three of my favorites! Down to the River to Pray, Consider the Lilies, and This is the Christ. I feel like Dewey on Malcolm in the Middle when his mom plays that one song and he runs through the house saying, "Why do you have to ruin everything that I love!?!?!?" But! I sing because that is what God needs me to do right now. Oh the life:) Well! I love you all! I want you to have some good referrals all picked out for me come pageant time. Just so you know. So we can help some people get in the water! of baptism that is:) I love you love you love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good! Do work:)

Sister Picard

May 17, 2010 we are family, i got all my sistas with me :)

2010-05-17T19:05:00.001-07:00

Family!

So- if things weren't crazy enough around here- we are getting two more sisters tomorrow! That brings the grand total up to 22, which is 2 more than last year. It also puts 16 in the Hatch House. Which is also 2 more than last year. We are going to fit all nice and cozy:) Sometimes I wonder how that many girls are able to live in the house. Then I remember that the Church must be true:) Ha! We do actually get along really well. I can't even believe it sometimes, but we do. So! Transfers were yesterday. I am staying in Nauvoo, which I am actually very pleased about. My new companion is Sister McIntosh. She is from Layton, UT. I am really excited to be her companion, but at the same time really sad to not be with Sister Wendel anymore. It's sweet though, for the most part, I would be companions with anyone here:) Good Nauvoo sisters!

Well, what has been happening in my life you might ask? Well let me just ponder that for a moment. OH MAN! I just remembered the most exciting thing that happened this week that I am so excited to write about. Ok, first of all, allow me to apologize. Sometimes I think that I sound a little too casual in my letters home to you. I think it's because I just get so excited at the thought of communicating with you that it just all starts coming out and I'm typing and it's pretty much whatever I am thinking in my head. So! I still have a testimony. I love the gospel. I'm a good missionary girl, but as far as my e-mails go, it is what it is. So! This past week we have had several production crews in Nauvoo. They have been here for the World Report (what they show in between conference sessions) and for the Joseph Smith Papers and for another documentary they are doing. So! We get a call from President and on Friday night I think it was we went over to the mission home after we were all done for the day. The Ludwig's had been feeding all the different crews at their homes. This one gentleman, whom I forget what his name is, is very important in Church history because he had a few things to show us. Now, I hope that you all remember the talk that E/Holland gave in the October General Conference of last year where he gave the most incredible testimony of the Book of Mormon ever. You may also remember a little book that he held up. That book was Hyrum Smith's copy of the Book of Mormon that he and Joseph read out of right before they decided to go to Carthage. Yes, if you were wondering, I had the privilege of seeing that book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In real life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He also showed us a copy of the 2nd ed. of the D&C that was printed by John Taylor. I felt so blessed. It was amazing. The Spirit was so strong just being the room with those books. It made me reflect on how lucky and blessed I am to be a missionary here. Sometimes it definitely is like the Hollywood mission of the church. So- people can make fun of me, but it has it's perks. I can't even believe it still when I think about it. The Book of Mormon is so true! It has the power to change lives like no other book ever written. It is amazing. So! This man was going to put those books back in this special little suitcase and we see a few other things just sitting in there so one of the other sisters asks, "What else is in the suitcase?" The man replies, "Oh, the original manuscripts of the Book of Mormon, the original Book of Commandments..." and a couple of other documents I can't remember now because my mouth had just hit the floor. It was SO neat! I felt like Joseph Smith must have felt when he opened up the place where the gold plates and the Urim and Thummim and the Sword of Laban and the Liahona all were together. It was just this SHOCK of the Spirit. It was as though I couldn't even breathe. I can't believe I was that close to something like that. Definite blessings for me this week!

The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Just like Joseph Smith said we draw nearer to Christ through reading it. It is a sure fire way to feel the Spirit and to come to know the Savior better. If you are ever having a rough day, just read the Book of Mormon. It has sustained me throughout my mission. I LOVE being a missionary! My life is SO good! I love it love it love it! Be good! Keep sharing the gospel. You are exemplary as far as member missionaries go. So I am giving you positive reaffirmations:) Love you! Be good! Do work:)

Sister Picard

May 11, 2010 tonight's gonna be a good night :) (thank you baby for introducing me to what is hip and cool :) )

2010-05-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

Family-

Let me just even tell you- I LOVED getting to speak with all of you on Sunday! It made my life!!!!!!!!!! It’s funny- because I’ve never really gotten emotional in speaking with you. It feels really normal every time I call home. I fully realize it has been months since I’ve heard your voices, but it just feels goodJ and normal. Except for Buddy. He does NOT sound like himself. But I suppose everyone has to go through poverty and that whole voice changing thing huh? J (like that Gussy!) It’s weird to think that I will be seeing you all- but I am definitely not focusing on that just quite yet. I have plenty of summer ahead of me. So! Big time shout out to mamasita for being the best mom in the world! I am the ONLY missionary in all of stinkin Nauvoo (this is also including the bajillion of seniors) with a CONFERENCE ENSIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really don’t think you can fully appreciate the Conference Ensign until you have been a missionary. It is like the new iPod. Or iWhatever it probably is these days, I have no idea about technology. So, I have been the envy of the whole mission. I prance around everywhere carrying it with me. Then everyone gets these looks on their faces, “No way!!!! You are so lucky! Where’d you get that!?” Then I say, “My mom. She’s the best.” I have loved reading the Ensign. I love Conference. I wish they had it every month. However, then it would not be as special. So I guess I don’t. But I love the messages. I especially loved being able to read the Priesthood session and the YW meeting. President Uchtdorf’s talks were my favorite from both. I know we all know my issues with patience, so I have read that talk several times over. I love the messages that are given by the leaders of the Church. They are all so inspired! I think a lot of times, they are so smart. They must know so much about the gospel. And yet all of their messages are relevant to any member of the Church. It helps to confirm my testimony that this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nothing about it ever changes. It is and will always be His Gospel. Our understanding and appreciation of it grows deeper and deeper, all while we are trying to better align our will to His. I love reading the Ensign. I can’t put it down ever. I read it in the sites. I read it at the VC. I read it when I eat. I read it before I go to bed. It’s just too good. Can’t even help it. So! Thanks again mama! You really made my life! I’m trying to think of anything really exciting that has happened. I highlighted S/Morgan’s hair. I don’t know if I told you. That was fun. S/Picard beauty parlorJ It’s been raining OH I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok finish that sentence, it has been raining frequently. I just remembered. We have raccoons all up in our house. A couple of the senior elders have caught two of them. I think there are approximately 50 more and I think that they are having babies. Our house smells weird. We kept taking out the trash and cleaning to no avail. Turns out raccoon poo smells bad J Last night they were having a party in the wall right next to me. I sleep on the top bunk and at first I thought my companion decided to start kicking the wall or moving in her sleep a lot. Nope. The raccoons. Then we heard them in our heating thing. I kept having visions of these little raccoon hands coming up out of the vent trying to eat me. Kind of creepy okay?! I finally did get to sleep though. I think that is kind of a funny thing to tell you. I hope all is well. Thanks for being my family. You really are the best ever. Be good. Do work. J

Sister Picard

PS- Highlight of my phone conversation- baby singing to meJ Also! I thought you might appreciate this. I was in the temple today and this worker goes, “You are so beautiful! You must be a missionary girl!!!!!” It just reminded me of when we were little and those pics we have of Gus and Daniel being “missionary boys!” Especially when Buddy is all GQ with his hand in his pocketJ love it!

May 4, 2010 How to make a peanut and honey samwich!!

2010-05-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

Family-

So! Can I just even tell you? My mission life is pretty crazy. I should preface all that I am about to say with this, no matter where I serve or what I do I am always a servant of the Lord set apart to be a representative of Jesus Christ. Now- to tell you what I did this week. So you might better understand the previous statement.

On Tuesday all of the sisters served the Temple Missionaries at the dinner that they have each year at the beginning of the summer. So we all had to wear black and white and serve dinner. Which was pretty fun actually because I got to see the Tovey's! They are so cute! I am so happy that the temple missionaries are here because now we get to go more often! Twice a week!!!!!!!! So then, my mission president's son was married last week. He was married here in Nauvoo so that his parents could be there for everything. So on Thursday morning I spent all morning helping S/Ludwig cut up fruit and get the food ready for all of the people that were going to be in town. We also helped to get everything ready for the open house that they had on Friday for all the missionaries. Then on Saturday, the day of the wedding, we helped out all day with the catering/decorations/set up etc of the wedding. Then that night we helped cook/serve/clean for the wedding dinner/reception thing. Again, we were all wearing black and white. We color coordinate a lot in this mission. :) So! If anyone ever needs me to cater or plan an event, well- I have LOTS of practice from serving here. It's funny because for all of the second summer sisters doing stuff like this is old hat. We've done it a lot. It was really funny one of the guests told S/Barry, “Well I bet this is something you don't do as a missionary!” And she replied, “Well actually we do it quite often.” Yes- I LOVE dealing with the funny snide remarks everyone makes about being a VC sister and serving at dinns. That is when I just have to do breathing exercises and plaster a smile on my face. And work on my humility. And tell myself that I am serving the Lord in whatever capacity He needs me to serve in. So you can imagine- we all were thinking about weddings for a few days. We even came up with a list of when we thought everyone was going to get married. Glad to report that S/Reece was numero UNO on that list :) YES! Her hair looks so good this summer- I am going to have to send a picture. We also had the wonderful opportunity of starting the fences again. The weather is good enough to have us outside now- so that is what we are doing to help NRI. We scraped fences on my day. All day long. It was AWESOME! Actually- it was pretty sweet because we got to be outside and get a little bit of sun. And let me just tell you how pasty I am these days. I think I have turned into a white person. Alas- that's life. Especially as a sister.

I have really enjoyed giving tours more this summer. After being in the field I feel a lot more capable. I think I am more in tune with the Spirit, bolder about asking for referrals, and more focused on PMG. On Saturday I was serving at the VC and had been feeling kind of off. If you can imagine, I was feeling a little more “tour guide” than “missionary” especially with all the crazy stuff we did last week. So I said, “Sister Picard it is time to stop being a lame-o and be a missionary.” I really prayed to be able to feel like a missionary again. I was able to give a really great tour to a girl named Deserae. She was from Chicago and had just moved there and wanted to come to Nauvoo. She had a couple of things thrown in her way when trying to visit- but was able to make it. I love it when I give tours and I don't feel like I am the “tour guide” but that I am that person's friend. I love when I feel a real genuine concern for the person instead of just telling them facts. I told her that I was so grateful that she had still decided to come and that even though I am supposed to like everyone that comes in, I really appreciated her being there:) She gave a referral! I am glad that I can sometimes help facilitate missionary work.

One thing that I have been thinking a lot about lately is that throughout my mission I have done a lot of work with members as opposed to finding people to get baptized. At first I really hated that because as a missionary all I should want to do is baptize. I think sometimes Heavenly Father knows what He is doing though. Correction- He always does:) The majority of my life will be spent in helping members of the Church strengthen their testimonies and come closer to Christ. I think it has been a wonderful experience on my mission to realize that is still important.

I love my life. I love being a missionary. Things are finally starting to pick up here. The YPM's are coming this week I think. So you know I'm excited about that :) HA! Keep up the good work. You are an amazing family. Sometimes I just sit and think and I can't even believe how amazing you are. I got baby's pics in the mail. And her instructions about how to make a PB & H samwhich. Goods:) I LOVE YOU!!!!! Be good! Do work :)

Sister Picard

April 27, 2010 DJ's Birthday :)

2010-05-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Family!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, another week in Nauvoo. I don't even know what I should talk about most of the times in my e-mails. How boring right? Sorry. We've started to work in the Call Center again. I'm trying to make sure that my enthusiasm for calling is genuine and is being passed on to the sisters around me:) I really do enjoy it for the most part. I forgot about that. I was able to start serving in the Visitor's Center again as well. I LOVE the Visitor's Center. It's really the closest thing to being out in the field. Almost like contacting. I like it because I have more control over the situation. Imagine that, me liking to be in control? :) I can go and talk to everyone that walks in about the Gospel, which makes me happy. I don't have to wait for them to come into sites to give them tours. One thing that I have been impressed with over and over again is how easy it is to share the gospel with your friends. This is what I think. Ok- now I'm going off on a tangent. Obviously my mission here in Nauvoo is different. I know most people wouldn't expect it, but it is actually a lot harder to stay focused here than out in the field. I felt like I had a pretty good handle on keeping my mind focused and then I came here and well, let's just say I'm really trying to focus again:) I think it's a great learning experience though. I know that when I am no longer a missionary (bleh) that it will also be a hard adjustment, and it will be SO important to learn how to focus on what is most important. I obviously don't want to become some socially incompetent religious zealot, but I do want to maintain the correct focus in my life. Which should be, and always will be, bringing others as well as myself closer to Christ.
We are getting three new sisters today. We'll get two new sisters next week. That makes 22 sisters in all. Two more than last year. That is 16 sisters living in our house. That is crazy business. However! I am sure it will all work out. Things in Nauvoo are going to start to pick up here pretty soon. I'm doing all I can to make sure I am prepared to referral it up! It is also important to strengthen the testimonies of those people that come here. I know most everyone is a member, but everyone can always have a stronger testimony. It's pretty amazing that I get to testify of the Gospel in a place like this.
I love you all! I wish I had a funnier story to tell. Let me think, nothing that I think you would also think is funny. Pretty much I just make a whole bunch of way lame missionary jokes all the time. But people laugh. Not sure if it's with me or at me- but it's all good :) I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! Be good. Do work:)

Sister Picard

April 22, 2010 Testify this bible's worth we'll testify this bible's worth! (rendezvous line :) )

2010-04-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Family-

Wow- this week has been CRAZY! I am in Nauvoo. I'm companions with Sister Barry again and with Sister Wendel who is one of the new sisters. We are the only trio- AWESOME. It has definitely been a change to come back to Nauvoo from the proselyting world. It is weird to not be around 19032840329842039482 people all the time. It is weird to breathe fresh air. It is weird to see green things. At the same time it is just wonderful! I was able to serve in the Visitor's Center for the first time yesterday. I forgot how much I like talking to people- imagine that:) I was able to give a few tours and get referrals and my life was great. I feel so much more qualified after having served a proselyting mission. I'm a lot bolder than last summer. I actually may have had a negative effect on a lady's blood pressure yesterday. They came in and are Christian and only had a few minutes so I was trying to give them a first lesson with a little history thrown in (they had just seen the JS movie) and she was getting antsy and wanted to go eat lunch or something so in my defense I was making it very brief but she asks me, "In two seconds what is the difference between your church and any other Christian faith." And I said, "We have the priesthood power of God." Then she got really mad at me. Oopsie :) But- it is what it is. Don't worry- I patched it up and she left not quite as upset:)

I have loved being around all my senior couples again. They are all my best friends. I love the strength of their testimonies. I have loved being around all my Nauvoo sisters. You don't fully apprecitate what you have till it's gone- so true in this case. I have never been around so many sisters at once that just get along and love each other. We have lots of fun. We think we are really funny:) A couple of neat stories from the past week. We were doing training in the call center and I had been thinking a LOT about Cassidy, well, pretty much since I had been in the field. One of the very first things I wanted to do when I got back to Nauvoo was see how his progress was going with the missionaries. So! I had S/Morgan call him when we were in the call center and we found out that he had gotten baptized! How exciting right?!?!??! I about peed my pants. Actually what I did was scream and kind of fall on the floor by S/Morgan and maybe my eyes were glistening a little:) It was such an AWESOME feeling. It made me think of D&C 18 that talks about helping the people you love and care about find the gospel. It was also a really great plug for all the sisters here to refer their friends from home. It works! Referrals work. I received a referral from a guest yesterday after I told her that story. So- Cass is helping out the missionary effort here. :) I don't think that anyone in the world had as many sister missionaries praying for them. All of the sisters from Nauvoo had been praying for him all of our field assignment. All of them would ask about him everytime that they wrote me. So! Everyone was super excited. They all feel this connection to him even though they don't know him. It was really great. Nauvoo miracle :) SO! Be thinking of all the people you can refer this summer for pageant! There have been over/around 50 reported baptisms off of Pageant Referrals last summer. These are people that started being taught because of our work with the Pageant. Cassidy's definitely wasn't reported- so I think that there are even more :) The Lord's work is great. The gospel is SO true. I love how being on a mission has really helped to "seal the deal" as far as my testimony goes. I love my Savior, and I need Him so much in my life right now. I am grateful to be a missionary. I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good! Do work!

Sister Picard

April 15, 2010 good ol' Nauvoo

2010-04-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

Family!!!!!!!

So- quickly I will be writing you about the past couple days of my life. I will try and sum up quick because we have lots to do and I'm supposed to be speedy! So! I am now officially back in Nauvoo. Crazy crazy:) But! This is the best story that I need to tell you. SO! President and Sister Bahr were supposed to be coming to get me on Wednesday morning and time was just a tickin and so we finally called and asked if they needed directions- turns out traffic was horrible (welcome to New Jersey.) So we got a late start and then traffic was STILL horrible so we were a little concerned that I might not make my flight- but I was not so concerned because I knew that I was with the Bahr's and so something miraculous would happen and everything would be okay. So! We get to the airport and they tell me that I'm too late for my flight and that they are going to have to figure out something else. At this point, I still wasn't too concerned. I only felt bad if I would throw off the whole Nauvoo schedule. So! They actually ended up re-routing me to a different flight that would still arrive in St. Louis around the same time. So it all ended up working out, like I knew it would since the Bahr's are amazing. So I was sitting in the airport in Cincinatti looking at some pictures from NJ and thinking about my life and I see all these sisters walking together (6 to be exact.) So I thought to myself, "Hmm, that's odd. The only place I've seen that many sisters together is Nauvoo. But those wouldn't be the new Nauvoo sisters, I'm in Cincinatti. They wouldn't be here." So like any good missionary I go over to ask them what mission they are from and introduce myself and find out that they are indeed the new Nauvoo sisters!!!!!!! Talk about a serendipitous happening! AND THEN!!!!!!!!!! To make it even better- they had flown from Salt Lake with Sister Beck. Yes, like Julie B. (That's what I asked when they told me:) ) So!!!!!!!!!!!! Then I was able to meet Sister Beck and Brother Beck which was awesome! I knew that they were headed out to New York because everyone had been so excited to see them. It was such a neat experience. I thought that the reason I missed my flight was because my other flight was going to crash or something. Nope! Heavenly Father just loves me a lot. So He let me meet up with the newbies and meet my most favorite in the whole world Sister Beck. I love her. She is amazing. And guess what? She loves my hair. She said, "Sister Picard, what do you put in your hair it is so shiny and gorgeous!" I replied, "Sister Beck, that's just the way it is." HAHAHA! Then I told her I was Native. Then Brother Beck said I was beautiful in Italian (he guessed the Italian in me- cool huh?) Well! I need to go! Quickly- the pics are of the park I went running in every morning. One of my favorites from Paterson. Me and my new BFF Sister Beck. Me and Sister PARKER! (from the "other" Jersey mission:) ) and! Nauvoo :) I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! I'll probably be e-mailing again at some point. I don't know when my preparation day will be- so it could be a minute. LOVE YOU! Be good. Do work. Church is true. Heavenly Father loves you.

Sister Picard

April 12, 2010 I love my life :)

2010-04-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

Family!!!!!!!!!!!!

So my lifeJ It has been just a little bit crazy these days. I am serving in Jersey City. I am so glad that President Bahr is so inspired to let me be here for these last couple of weeks! I am serving around missionaries that I love and I’ve met new members and new investigators to love and it has been awesome!

We had a fireside last night in Caldwell. The missionary choir sang and then there were also speakers. It was wonderful! The best part was being able to see so many of my missionary friends before I leave AND seeing a lot of my best friends from PATERSON!!!!!!!!!! They walked into the chapel and it made my life! I was so happy to see everyone. I was also able to see some of my favorite young women from the Emerson ward. It was a really fitting way to end my time in New Jersey I think. I was able to see everyone that I love right before I leave. Heavenly Father must really love me or something J I love to sing with all the other missionaries. Their testimonies are so evident and the Spirit is so strong! It has surprised me how much of the mission I have gotten to know in just a few months. I feel like I have so many friends! I’m so glad that I was able to spend time here. New Jersey Morristown Mission is definitely the best proselyting mission in the whole world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t really even know what else to write. There is too much. And it would take a whole lot of effort on my part to try and explain everything. It’s this weird phenomenon that happens when you are on a mission. I’ve come to the realization that I really don’t know what is going on in all of your lives, and you probably just don’t understand or even care too much about my life. BUT! I love you. I love the gospel. I love how many people I get to talk to each day about it here. Going back to Nauvoo should be great! I want to make sure and get all the new sisters excited to be there! I can’t believe that I just started my mission in Nauvoo a year ago. CRAZY! Crazy I tell you. My life is good. I love it. I love the gospel. The rest of my life will be spent in bringing others closer to Christ. Yours should too. Keep it up. Do work. I love you.

Sister Picard

April 5, 2010....life is good in the hood :)

2010-04-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My life is CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can I just even tell you?! Can I just even tell you. Ok- so for the last two weeks of my stay in New Jersey I am serving in the Jersey City 2^nd Ward. I am in a walking area!!!!!! Woo!!!!!!!! No more being in a car all day driving to appointments. I am right on the Hudson front, which means I see NYC pretty much all the time. We have Hoboken in our area, which is where Daniel wants me to go and eat at that one bakery. Our ward is really young and is full of people who work or go to school in the City since we are so close. I really like it. I have already had the opportunity of going to some sweet parts of our area. We were at these projects and Sister Dennis asks me, “Are you prepared for this?” I replied, “I don’t think so.” Then the elevator door opened and we had to get in. I have never smelled anything like that before in my life. I couldn’t breathe out of my nose because my eyes started to water. I couldn’t mouth breathe because then I could taste it. So, I think I ended up just holding my breath? I almost started to cry because I didn’t know what to doJ AWESOME!!!!!!! We get to go running in this cute little park that has a great view of the City. I have really savored these last few teaching appointments I’ll have as a “proselyting” missionary. I can’t even begin to try and tell you the mix of emotions I am right now. SO! That is why it was so good to hear all of the amazing talks at General Conference. So! Everything that was said the first session the first couple of talks even was everything that I needed to hear! It is amazing how much Heavenly Father loves us. It is such a blessing to have a living prophet! I love everything about the Gospel so much. I wish I could be a missionary forever. Alas! My time is far spent and I need to go grocery shopping or something. I always have the intent of writing more- and then I actually sit here and nothing comes out. Just please know how much I love my life and how much I love my Savior. I LOVE YOU!!!!!! Be good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

March 29, 2010 good week :)

2010-04-01T11:56:00.001-07:00

Fam!

Ok- I don’t have too much time right now- but! I thought it would be important to get an e-mail off really quickly. I was really blessed this week and was able to go to the Manhattan temple TWICE!!!!!!!! Heavenly Father definitely loves me a lot! I was able to go with all of the departing missionaries and also with a recent convert who was receiving her endowment. It was the best week ever!!!!!!! I love the temple more than anything! Also- I am getting transferred. So I will be transferred for two weeks, then I will get the BIG transfer and head back to Nauvoo. Which is just crazy to me. I can’t believe that I will be leaving Jersey. Bleh- I don’t like to think about it. At the same time I am excited to get back to Nauvoo and see all of my sisters and the senior missionaries and mostly the TEMPLE! I love that temple. I love being a missionary. I LOVE being a missionary. I hope that when I say that (or type that I suppose) that people know that I am sincere. I am so glad Heavenly Father knew how much I would love being a missionary. I am so glad that He also knew the places I needed to be sent to. It is so amazing how much He loves each one of us. I am very excited about General Conference! I know that the Spirit will be so strong and I’m excited for the messages I need to here! I am also excited about Easter week and this time we have to think about our Savior Jesus Christ. I am SO grateful for the Atonement. I can’t even begin to imagine the love that Christ has for me- but I am so thankful for it. I appreciate it more every day, because I learn how much more I need the Savior every day. I love you all so much! Sorry I didn’t write much- but I’ll be better next weekJ I LOVE YOU!!!!!!! Be good! Do workJ

Sister Picard

March 22, 2010 hey now hey now- this is what dreams are made of.... are made of

2010-04-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

Family!!!!!!!!

Well. My life. So- I don't remember if I wrote last night but we have had some crazy storms here! So! We were able to go and help clean up the church last week which was fun. The church building got power back in time for us to be able to go to church yesterday which was good. Some members didn't have power for 4-5 days. We didn't have power for just a night. Must be missionary blessings :)We had a crazy week last week with meetings and with going to Ellis Island and what not, but Heavenly Father blessed us a lot for still trying to hit mission standards. We were able to get all of our lessons in and a couple referrals which was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! I love being in New Jersey. It's great. I love my ward. They are great. I don't really know what else to say. I'm trying to think of good stories to tell you. OH! I know! So! We were sitting in sacrament meeting yesterday and I see this girl that I thought looked really familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. Turns out it was my friend Sara Robinson! We knew each other from the summer I did Sports Camps. We were in the same ward. She was visiting our ward with her HUSBAND! (yes- people have met, dated, and got married while I've been on the mish:) )They were visiting the Relief Society president. But they are doing an internship in the City and live in the Jersey City ward. But! Point being it was SO fun to see someone that I know! I love when that happens :) My companion says I know everyone. I suppose that's what I get from moving a lot and going to BYU:) I told all the missionaries today at choir practice- oh ps- we're doing ANOTHER mission choir thing for Easter- that they all have to do a big all mission field trip to Nauvoo. It would be very fun and spiritually uplifting and I would get to see everyone and give them tours in my pioneer dress:) I think they were convinced. Now we just have to get the approval from good ol President and Sister Bahr! Well I just love being a missionary. A talk that I recently love is the Enabling Power of Christ or something like that by Elder Bednar (before he was even Elder Bednar.) I have definitely come to the realization that I can not do ANYTHING with out the help of the Savior. The Atonement is not only there to help me repent of my sins caused by weaknesses but also to help give me the strength to overcome said weaknesses. Ether 12:27 baby. Always has been the fave! We met some sweet people knocking this week. I think that my Jersey accent is pretty legit. I should have it really good by the time I go back to Nauvoo. I just mimic it while we're walking down the street. It's funny because my companion can't even tell if Americans have accents- it's just all English to her:) So! If I name one of my kids Sal- you'll know why. It sounds SOOOOOOOOO sweet when Jersey people say it. Or Paul. I like that one too. WELL! I love you! Be good! Do work! Much love. Hug Hug Kiss Kiss.

Sister Picard

March 15, 2010 Part 2

2010-03-17T21:08:00.001-07:00

I snuck back on to the computer! But the lady is mean and might kick me off again. I shouldn't say that. I'm sure she is just having a bad day or something. Maybe her power is off too. So! We all went in to the city. It was 6 elders and then a sister who is going home a transfer after me and a senior couple took us. They allowed the sister to come with so I wouldn't be the only sister. That was nice- it was fun to have her there with me! I really enjoyed being at both places. Ellis Island really gave me a desire to do family history work! Even more so than I already had. Being a missionary makes me want to do all this good stuff:) I want to make sure that I always feel this way and that I don't get home and be a dumbie. I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me with the opportunity to be a missionary. I am SO grateful for the time I have to devote to the Lord. It has allowed me time to realize what is most important in life. My priorities are DEFINITELY different. I'm still good ol Sister Picard, just a better version. I'm excited to go back to Nauvoo and see all my sisters and the seniors, but it is going to break my heart to leave Jersey. But! The bitter with the sweet I suppose. Well- the lady is looking at me mean so I'm going to head out. LOVE YOU! BE GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so proud of you all. You are such a good family. Hopefully people will know that by how I serve my mission. Thanks for loving and supporting me:)

Sister Picard

2010-03-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

Familia-

I just have SO much to talk about. I don't even know where to start. It may be brief because I may get kicked off of the computer. The reason is because this is the only library with power and the internet in the area. The reason for that is because of the big storms we had last week. I don't know if it was on the news- well probably not in Utah because I am in NJ- but! We've been having some crazy storms here lately. Lots of rain and lots of wind. The lightning here was so weird. I've been in lots of lightning storms but this lightning was weird because it was so cloudy and overcast and the lightning would just light up whole sections of the sky. It was all different colors. It was crazy. It was really windy as well. We kept going to appointments and as soon as we'd leave the power would go out. I'm not even joking, it would be literally as we were walking out of the door. Kind of funny huh? We didn't have power for awhile, but we were fine. We went to bed as soon as we were done planning since there was no light. :) People still don't have power and it was crazy last Saturday. Then, on Sunday church was cancelled because there were power lines down and huge trees in the middle of the road on both sides of the chapel. We were able to go to the Elders ward right next to our area. We spent the day trying to see people. It took FOREVER to get anywhere because all of the roads were blocked off because of trees (HUGE trees) and power lines and flooding. Needless to say, I am not so much a fan of driving in Jersey anymore. Or driving in general really. I may need to get a chauffeur. :) But! Things are good. My comp is awesome. She teaches me cool slang words in Portuguese. I told her if I ever go to Brazil I have to make sure people think I'm cool. So then yesterday I went on the departing missionary trip with all the departing missionaries (by the way, I felt like a fake because the Elders had been out a year longer than I have:) ). There is an Elder that is leaving that is from Brazil. I used all my cool Portuguese words. He thinks I'm cool now. I sounded pretty legit if I do say so myself :) The trip was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fun! We went to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Usually, we go from the Jersey side on the ferry out to the Island. But! When we arrived we found out that like much of Jersey the power was out on the Jersey side. So! Instead we got special permission from the Mission President to go into New York and come from the NY side!!!!! Woohoo! I love being in the city:) Except that we had to go through the Holland Tunnel and that always freaks me out thinking about being under the Hudson. Bleh- icky water. It was really raining and stormy. Welp- I have to go. Lame love you!

Sister Picard

March 8, 2010 "mario. said like MAH-rio. all jersey :) mah like ma-c and cheese. for clarification.

2010-03-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Inbox X

Family-

I just randomly got a Nauvoo song stuck in my head. Hmm. Odd. What is really odd is how soon I am going back. Crazy how time flies when you are having fun:)

I am trying to think of something very exciting to tell you. Maybe I'll make something up:) I really do enjoy serving in the Emerson ward. We have really good people here and I like serving in a ward. I also liked serving in a branch. I pretty much like serving I think. :) I was able to go to the CES fireside last night (we had an investigator who wanted to go even though he is way hecka old. Whatevs. If he wants to listen, who am I to stop him? :) ) But! Guess who was there?! Marianne my favorite came up from Paterson since it was a YSA activity. It was so good to see her. It was good to see other people from the branch as well. I love having all these new friends! So, what else was I going to say about that... oh yes. For the first time in a long time, well probably since I have been on my mission, I saw something related to BYU and I didn't miss it at all. Not to say that I've absolutely been pining away to see Provo again, but usually I at least think of it fondly. No, this time I didn't even care that I saw the Marriott Center. Now THAT is crazy huh? I must love this mission business or something. :)

I'm sorry, I really am trying to think of something interesting, but nothing is coming. It's been getting a lot warmer here. So I get to run on the track in the mornings! Not up and down the street. That is no fun. But it was the only place that was plowed from the snow :) So I had been driving home the way that goes by the track every day to see if the snow had finally melted off and then at the end of last week it did!!!! So then I started screaming, “YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and my companion laughed at me. Oh silly Americans:) We are still trying to find us some new investigators. We have several really solid investigators with appointments every week who come to church every week. They just aren't so much into the whole “getting baptized” business. I vote we just trip them into the font. :) Kidding! That is not very Christlike of me! I am trying to be patient. Things happen on the Lord's time not mine? Right? Right. I do miss everyone. At the same time I know I am going to miss New Jersey. It's crazy how many emotions you can feel at once while on a mission. And it sure is weird for me:) But I love it. I love being a missionary. I love being a servant of the Lord. I love this time that I get to focus on what is most important. I know that the rest of my life will be different because of the time that I've had to serve God's children. I'm so glad that He allowed me to be a missionary. I'm a lucky duck! I love you!!!!!!! Be good!!!!!!!!! Do work.

Sister Picard

March 1, 2010 "when it snows, it snows...now that is an intelligent title"

2010-03-01T14:52:00.000-08:00

Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well. Let me just think. You may or may not have heard that we have been having some inclement weather up here in Jersey. Lots and lots of snow! A couple of days last week we weren't able to drive because of how crazy it was. I have lived in lots of snow before. This isn't new to me. But the storm was really crazy! It just DUMPED snow. Everywhere. But! We still were able to go out and work. We just walked everywhere. It was funny because our area is definitely a driving area for a reason. So we picked a couple of houses that didn't look too far away on the map and started walking. Good thing I have no skill at map reading or I would have known how far we were trying to walk. Regardless, two hours later we finally show up at a part-member's house which was actually CLOSER than the recent converts house we were initially going to. The recent convert canceled on us when we were about a block away from her house. After we were almost there. I almost passed out in the snow bank. I didn't know what to do with my life. But! We got to teach a really good lesson to the family we did see. So! It was worth it. I felt all pioneer-ish trudging through the snow. It was deep. The walks hadn't been shoveled yet. Every once and awhile a bus or big car would go by and splash us with yucky snow. It was pretty great. :) We're really trying hard right now to find new investigators. This area is awesome, but it's one of the nicer areas. Sometimes people don't like to listen to us too much:) BUT! We are trying. And we'll keep trying. I don't know what else to say. Oh- this is kind of funny. I mean this very kindly. It makes me laugh. Ok- so my companion is from Brazil. So her English is good, but she definitely still has a way thick accent. She likes to sing every appointment that we go to. I'm down with that. So we are at this one member's house and they all hate to sing. So we make them sing with us. The song starts out and all I could think of was Christmas story when all the Chinese people are singing Deck the Halls and it's way off pitch and no one can pronounce the words. I was gut-busting in my head. But I had to keep singing out loud. Oh MAN! It was so funny. Bless everyone's heart for trying to sing. What am I talking about. It's not as though I am Ms. American Idol. You just had to be there. I know you would have appreciated it. Well! I love you! Keep being good. I'll try and do something interesting like get a baptism or something. :) PS! I was going through pics and saw that old family picture with Pomas (IS HE GETTING MARRIED OR WHAT?!?!?) and Daniel is doing his turtle turtle face. I about peed my pants from laughing. Oh goodness. It's good to laugh. LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

February 22, 2010 "Fearbuster"

2010-02-24T13:01:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

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!)

2010-02-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-08T12:40:00.001-08:00

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

January 25, 2010 yay

2010-01-25T16:11:00.001-08:00

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

2010-01-21T13:19:00.000-08:00

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!"

2010-01-21T13:18:00.001-08:00

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...."

2010-01-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

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

December 28, 2009 Hey Ya!

2009-12-30T09:36:00.000-08:00

Family!
So- Christmas was just wonderful! I’m so glad that I was able to speak with you! It was so weird to hear your voices- ESPECIALLY Daniel. What a crazy! He sounds so different! He’s not my little buddy sounding. Alas- I suppose everyone has to change and grow up. Blah blah blah. I really enjoyed all the packages I received. Thanks fam! You know just what to say to take a girls breath away! (this will take her breff away! Name that movie- please ) I especially loved the rubber ducky pj’s! Also- thank you to Grandma and Grandpa for remembering me- their little missionary I LOVED Uncle Joe and Aunt Sandy’s present. Cookies and this delicious popcorn stuff. I don’t know what was in it- or how it was made- but you know that all the missionaries chowed down on it! Also- the Lusk’s a missionary couple from Nauvoo sent me some tasty treats! I really appreciated that. It has been fun to hear from a lot of the Nauvoo sisters as well during Christmas. If I was a cute sister missionary I would’ve sent out little Christmas card pictures like they did- alas! I am not.
It’s kind of weird to e-mail you after I spoke with you just a few days ago. I can’t believe that it’s almost 2010!! What the cut the! And I am on a mission! Who would’ve predicted that in our predictions? Correction- mom probably did. She knows everything. 
So you may ask, what have I been doing with my life recently? Well- not too much. Being a missionary. One of my most favorite favorites is the Montes family. Sister Montes, she just understands me and I LOVE her. She is from Portugal and she served a mission and she joined the church even though her family is way hardcore Catholic and they pretty much disowned her and she even went on a mission! Oh I love her. She has two little babies Gracie and Coley (I LOVE them!) and we have been meeting with Gracie because she wanted to learn from the missionaries before she gets baptized. Her baptism is on Sunday so that should be lots of fun. I know it’s not a convert baptism or anything, but it has been really neat to see what Grace does understand about the gospel, even at age almost 8, and how strong her testimony is of things that are really important. It’s a good example to help teach our investigators. There is no way that Grace knows everything about the church, but what she does know, she knows is good and feels it’s good and knows that it’s what God wants for her. I need to be more like that. I think too often I think about myself too much. I blame myself for all of my inadequacies and think that my being inadequate is somehow going to ruin everything! That is pride. This is God’s work, and I am very privileged to be helping in it, even just a little bit. I love you all so much! Keep being good. Find people for the missionaries to teach- they need your help!
Sister Picard

December 21, 2009 "It's not about the lights, it's about the love"

2009-12-21T21:08:00.000-08:00

Family-
Well. Most of the time I sit down at the computer to begin writing and I have absolutely no idea what to write about. That’s life I suppose. I love all the people in my branch. We have a veritable UN. Not even joking. There are people from everywhere. And I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it! I also love my companion. Sister Black is awesome. We have lots of fun. While working hard. Which is good. It makes life worth living.  Happy Anniversary to the padres! Happy Birthday to Joseph Smith, Jesus and Hann. I’m so sorry I’m so lame I can’t even think what to write about. It will be nice and exciting to be able to speak to you! It weirds me out though and kind of gives me anxiety. Or something.
This week we had several experiences where it was so evident that the Lord was guiding us to find certain people. I want so badly for everyone I speak with to get baptized. If they only knew! Oh that I were an angel status! I am really hoping that I will be able to do all the work that the Lord has for me to do in this area. I get nervous that I’m not working hard enough or doing enough or that I’m good enough. I guess that’s the humility kicking in I love being able to feel the Spirit when we teach. I love being able to see the difference in a person as they come to know the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is so apparent in both investigators and less actives when the light of Christ begins to come back into their lives. All I want to do is to bring that kind of happiness to everyone that I can.
OH duh. We went to the temple on Saturday! Wow. That was only two days ago. Weird. So! I was in NYC! Which was fun. Because we see it each day, but it still seems like it is so far away. The temple in Manhattan is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to stay there all day long forever and ever. We were able to go with some of the members of our branch. All of them are so amazing and are such awesome examples to me of how I should be a member missionary. They have extremely strong testimonies and a true desire to share the gospel with everyone that they meet. Literally. Everyone. It’s AWESOME! I was able to do the work for Grandma Marie which was a great experience. I’m glad that you were able to also go to the temple that day. That makes me happy. I love New York. It was so fun to be there. I love the temple. That was a good day. OH. Also of note before I end this little sesh. I was a musical number yesterday at church! Please stop laughing now. It was crazy. But our branch doesn’t do musical numbers so Sister Black and I decided to change that and the Christmas entertainment!  She played a gorgeous song on the piano (Silent Night and Still, Still, Still REMIX!  ) and then accompanied me. I only agreed to do it so she would play that beautiful song. I thought you might get a kick out of that. But! I need to go! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m excited and kind of nervous to speak with you. The whole concept just still weirds me out. I think I’ll be calling around 7 or 8 our time. And don’t worry- there are members here who are gonna love us right up! Oh! I have to tell you about this sweet game that we invented that we make the Elders play with us each morning at exercise. It’s called munchkins and minions. And the Elders totally love it…. Maybe No I think that they actually do. It makes you run around a lot. Which is the point of exercise you know. And it is just too frigid to go outside and run. Bleh. Ok- sorry for the side track. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk to you soon 

Sister Picard

December 14, 2009 "here I go here I go here I go now"

2009-12-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well- this past week was kind of crazy! We had SO much going on. On Wednesday we had a Mission Conference which was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! You will be surprised to hear that I was in a musical number? What? Weird. I know. My companion is very musically inclined. The Spirit was SO strong during parts of the conference. I am so blessed to be in such an amazing mission! NJ Morristown is where it’s at! Wow- that sounded dweeby. I’m sorry- I’m a missionary. I feel like there is so much I could tell you about but that would just take forever so you’ll have to read my journals when I go home.  We also had a Christmas Brunch with all the sisters at the mission home. It was fun. I miss Nauvoo sisters though- there is just somethin special about those gals ;) Goodness I told you. I’m getting so lame! What to do what to do. We also had a branch Christmas party which was fun. We also had another mission musical fireside. This time it was in espanol. That was pretty neat.
Oh! I know what to write about. So! We’ve been really blessed because we are in an awesome branch. We’re trying really really hard to get the members more involved and they are starting to trust and love us now which is AWESOME! We’ve seen lots of miracles in that regard. I still feel like a clueless crazy a lot of the time. We opened here so I’ve only been here a transfer and now I’m trying to be the one that actually knows what is going on…… but! It’s Heavenly Father’s work not mine so I just have to try my best! So! You would think that I have lived in lots of cold places before in my life so that I may have been prepared for the sudden drop in temperatures here. Oh NO!!!!!! Heck to the stinkin no. So this week like I said has been crazy crazy and Sister Black and I need to get more finding in so we are going out to find and it said it was like 23 degrees outside on our little car thermometer but we get outside the car and it was sooooooo windy and soooooooo stinkin cold I did not even know what to do with myself! I mean- my face was literally freezing off. We would get up to doors and I would try to talk and just drool on myself while my nose was running (ok that might be a slight exaggeration.) But! We had set a goal that we needed to meet for finding so we were out knocking for a few hours and we couldn’t even walk right we were so cold so I’m sure all the people that saw us just thought, “who are you crazies!? What are you doing?!” In fact, you might think that they would have let us in easier, no no no. They just called us crazy for being out in the cold and told us to go get some coffee. Then we said we couldn’t and to have a WONDERFUL Christmas!  But! We were also fasting because we had been doing this 12 days of Christmas Branch Fast for Missionary work EXTRAVAGANZA! (good name huh? Good idea huh?  ) so it was our day this same day. And we get up to this one door and we smelled the food from outside. And it is an Indian family (not our kind of Indian- India Indian) and they open the door and let us right in and we started to unthaw a little and try to talk about the gospel but the person who spoke English had to go to work but the mother who was there wanted to know if we wanted to eat anything and remember- at this point in life we were about ready to keel over and it was amazing INDIAN FOOD THAT I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE and it smelled so stinkin good and we had to politely decline because “we have another appointment to go to” oh man. So yeah- that day was kind of crazy. We just laughed and laughed about it. But hopefully we now have a potential who can make us tasty tasty In dian food Since I know Daddy just LOVES it! Eat em up yum!
I am so grateful to be a missionary. It’s just crazy. I don’t even know how else to describe it. I love it so much and at the same time it can be crazy sometimes. Heavenly Father has just blessed me so much it blows my mind. It makes me want to cry sometimes (I know- quote me on that ) It’s really amazing how much you can just love people. Everyone needs to do missionary work. It’s what will make you truly happy I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH! Thanks for being the best family in the WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously though- best. Family. Ever. And I get to talk to you soon! I just remembered that I got really happy the other day. Crazy business. Well- love you! Be good!

Sister Picard

December 7, 2009 "Racoon Pig thing?!?!?"

2009-12-10T18:56:00.001-08:00

Family!

Well- I'm not exactly sure how long this e-mail is going to be able to be because all of these crazy little kids are now here from school and well- I might have to go because I'm kicked off the computer. Oh the wonders of public library computers. I am grateful though. I love listening to 13 year old girls talk about Twilight while I write to you.
So! What is new? It has snowed here. That's fun. It's starting to get pretty cold.
Ok I'm stressing out because I feel like I need to write but that I have no time because I have this little timer and this little asian kid is looking over my shoulder and telling me how much time I have left. Which is now 7 minutes. So! The work is going well. I'm obsessed with my new companion. She is amazing. She taught me how to do a gollum voice. So now we talk like that all the time. Also- we invented a new game that we play in the morning with the Elders. It's called fried chicken & pizza (kind of a NJ thing) but it's way sweet. She works so hard and we are always tired but we LOVE IT!
So really quick funny story since I have no time. We were out knocking and it was really cold and we get up to this door and as we're walking up the walk I see this animal thing and I was like "Sister! I think I just saw some huge animal thing!" ok maybe that is not what I said but it was something like that and she just thought it was a cat or something. So then we're standing up on the porch of these people and we hear this weird squeeling snorting pig like I don't even know what kind of noise and we see this HUGEEEEE O giant racoon pig thing and I was freaking out and almost started screaming because it was running at us but then it ran underneath this car. Pretty sure we stayed up on the porch waiting to see if it would come out for like five minutes. But then we decided we needed to man it out and keep knocking so we got off the porch and were running towards the next house and the house we come to has this guy who is a minister named Father John so they let us write in and talk about how much they love Jesus and then as we're leaving Father John's friend kissed me on the cheek. So! That was a really interesting event........................
I have three minutes! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! sorry this is lame. Curse those little kids. The Church is true. I didn't get to see the Christmas devotional because we didn't get the signal which was sad. But! Life is good. I love you all! I'll try to get back on a comp and maybe write more! AHHH I have no time. I love you. Be good.
Sister Picard

November 30, 2009 "Love me some mission"

2009-11-30T08:20:00.000-08:00

Family!!!!!!!

Wow. My life is good. REALLY good. Thanksgiving was amazing. We had five different dinner appointments. Bless all the branch members hearts! They didn’t even make me stuff my guts. I was so grateful. My favorite thing that we ate was this corn bread stuff that a branch member made for us. That’s pretty much all I ate. Then I just picked at other stuff. Oh! I had a piece of pie at one place. Rolls at another. Weird- I really love yams?! Who knew. I love this Filipino yam fake ice cream stuff with coconut. And I like sweet potato pie? Who knew? Who knew.
On to the more important aspects of my life- missionary work! We just had transfers on Wednesday. My new companion is Sister Black and she is AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! She is from Ft. Worth, TX and straight out of the MTC! I love her. SO much! We are going to get so much done this transfer. She is a really hard worker who loves to be obedient. She is my kind of woman! And she is also really funny. It’s been so funny because we will start to quote things to each other like I would quote with Hann and we totally understand each other! It’s amazing. We have fun. We do work. That’s all that is
Ok- My computer session is going to end so I’m going to send this and then keep writing.

Ok! So! Let’s get back to what I was writing about. Which I kind of forget now. I’ll try to bring it back though. Ok.
OH! This is a good story. So! Sister Black and I were going to go to an appointment with an investigator and the woman wasn’t home so we were walking back to the car and I just really felt strongly that we should go and knock this house. I am sure that it seemed pretty random to her, but I said, “Sister, let’s go knock this house.” So we did! We got up to the door and both of us had forgotten to take out our cards so Sister Black said, “Well, I guess they’ll just have to let us in!” (Don’t you just love her! She is amazing!) We got to talking to the girl that opened the door and found out that she and her mother were just about to leave. She sounded fairly interested to we asked to set up an appointment to come back. She told us that she is at her cousin’s house a lot and that her cousin is a member of our church. When we asked who her cousin was, we found out that it was a less active young woman in our branch who we have been trying really hard to help reactivate. It was a miracle! We are now working with the less active on coming back to church and are hoping to start teaching her cousin. I know that it wasn’t just a coincidence we happened to knock on that door. Something I have really been trying to do as a missionary is to always give God a reason to trust me. I would really hope that He knows that He can prompt me to do anything and I will do it. I know that as we act on those promptings, no matter how small or insignificant, we are showing the Lord that we are willing to do His work His way and He will bless us for it.
We had our Mission Christmas fireside last night. I was so blessed! I got to see the Bradshaw’s AND my good friend from school Brianna Haynie!!!!!! (Who is gorgeous and amazing and I LOVE her! And I loved seeing her. Oh- it just made my life.) The Bradshaws- oh goodness. I can’t even tell you how good it was to see them! It was so weird Becca and I both said that it felt like just yesterday we had seen each other. I guess that’s how it goes with certain people. I think the thing I loved the most about seeing them was it felt like I was seeing my family. And I love you guys! So it was neat to be around people like you. Maybe not quite as cool- but close Oh they are amazing! The Spirit was so strong at the fireside. We sang a bunch of different Christmas songs. The real focus was on Christ so we also sang one of my favorites, This is the Christ. It’s been a favorite ever since I’ve been a VC sister because of this one movie we have to show people (they show it in Temple Square.) There was definitely something really powerful about so many missionaries sharing their testimonies of Christ through music. I was so grateful to be a part of it!
WELL!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good.
Sister Picard
PS- I have apparently totally forgotten my name. It sounded so weird to hear Brianna and the Bradshaw’s call me my first name. Weird- I can’t even type it ha. What a dweebo.

November 23, 2009 "Bird Poo"

2009-11-23T17:40:00.000-08:00

Family-

I have a confession. I have a slight sinking suspicion that my letters from here on out in my mission will be getting lamer and lamer. Is lamer even a word? Perhaps. I just don’t even know what to write about. Everything and nothing. Time is slow and fast. Mission is crazy…….. but I LOOOOOOOOVE IT!
We are teaching sweet people. I really do just love the people here more and more. They are amazing. Being in my branch is AWESOME! I’m so glad that I am here. Transfers are this week- so we’ll see what happens. We have been working at really serving the members in the branch. It’s been awesome. One of the less actives that we visit a lot has a friend that wants us to start teaching her because we do so much for her friend. You just have to love people I’ve decided. I may just start singing all you need is love as I walk down the street now…… except I guess that is kind of apostate.
OK I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED Rachelle’s e-mail. I can just see her chastising all the Elders and telling them to be obedient. I love her. In other news, we were contacting in the park the other day and I was strolling along and my hand brushed up against my side and I felt something sick and disgusting and I look at my hand and there is goose poop all over my hand. SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK. To this day I still have absolutely no idea how that bird pooed on me. I almost started crying. I didn’t know what to do. So we had to walk and find a bathroom. And then whole time I was trying to NOT think about what was all over my hand. Sick. That same day someone asked my companion if she was my mom. Ha.
I don’t think that I can ever thank Heavenly Father enough for letting me be a missionary. I know that my purpose as a missionary is greater than anything else I could be doing right now. I am not saying that being a missionary is super fun all the time but it is SO worth it. I love it when I can help people feel more of God’s love for them. I love teaching people how they can be happier in life. I know that it’s only through our Savior that we can be with God and our families for forever. I am SO grateful for how much closer I’ve been able to come to Him since I have been out. I’m sorry that I am not sharing more cool stories. My head hurts from looking at this computer too long. My birthday was great. Thanks Kaiti for the letter. You’re the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (said like Nacho) I love you all. Keep being good. Spread the gospel. Do work. Etc etc 

Sister Picard

November 16, 2009 "5 more days til my Birthday!!!"

2009-11-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Well. To be honest, I never have any idea what to write to you anymore. New Jersey is awesome. I am just so in Jersey I forget that I'm right by New York except for when I see the skyline sometimes. The weather here (yes, I am writing about the weather.....lame) has been pretty crazy. It will be raining and freezing then it will be 70 degrees out the next day. I don't really understand, but I like it when it's warm. We went out knocking for a looooooooong time in the pouring rain. I think I was hoping that looking like a drowned cat would make people want to let us in. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Maybe they were just nicer about saying "NO- get off my porch." :) So! I almost was going to get sick. But! In my wisdom I had purchased Emergen-C just for times like that and I started popping those little packets like crazy. And drinking tons of water. Like, gallons. My poor comp, I had to use the facilities a ton. But! I did not really get sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 So take that!
My branch is really the sweetest branch ever. I love all the people that we get to work with. They are so willing to do missionary work. If they're not, then we get to kindly remind them:) We've been really blessed in the amount of lessons we've been able to teach. I have been really good about not being bossy, but I've started to do more scheduling and the Lord has blessed us SO much is being able to get more lessons in this week than we ever have before. I love teaching. I am really trying hard to be better about teaching by the Spirit, it's something I can always improve on. Even if I think I am a really good teacher, what I say doesn't mean anything unless the Spirit is present. So! That's always nice and humbling:)
So! We've been doing service at a part members house the past few weeks. Her name is Sister Weber. Her husband Hans is straight from Germany. They are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love them. We've been raking a lot of leaves and helping with the gardening. Which I love. Since I get to be outside. And not in a dress. And I love raking leaves for some reason. So she has this big oak tree in her yard and as a result has 20 billion acorns that need to be removed. I was trying to rake them, but I got too frustrated because the little rake comb things had too much space in between them so I sat down and started making piles of them with my hands. My companion was laughing at me but duh it was a more effective way of doing it and I filled up like 2 buckets full of acorns. Then she started picking them up my way too. Take that! :)
On an interesting side note- I got bangs. Full on bangs. My most favorite Sister Montes cut my hair and I got bangs. I haven't had this much bang since I was like 5. But I love them. It's exciting.
I love my life. I love the gospel. I love that I have absolutely nothing to do with anything but it's really just how much God loves his children. If I can help them to feel that love, then I feel blessed. Everyone should serve a mission. It's good for your constitution (? I have no idea- it sounded good in my head:))
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good. Do work.

Sister Picard

PS!!!!!!!!!! IT's my birthday I just remembered! Olde folde. 22..... ugh. Make sure and tell Claire Russell how old I am. Because I am SOOOOOOO much older than she is:)

November 9, 2009

2009-11-09T13:27:00.001-08:00

My dearest family that I love.

Well, I just do not even know where to begin! I will tell you a really quick story that may not be so spiritual so we will begin with that? Shall we. Ok. So! We were knocking the other day and I looked down and upon the ground was this stick. It was an amazing stick! It looked just like a arm with a hand on the end. My first reaction was, "pick it up!" but then I was like "no- you are a sister missionary! be respectable!" but then I started to walk away and it was just too much for me so I had to go and pick it up. Then I stuck my arm in my coat and stuck the stick out and tried to make my companion shake my hand:) She thinks I'm weird. She then commented on how I always walk in a straight line on the curb like I'm on a balance beam. She thinks that is weird too. I say whatever!
So! We are teaching this amazing family right now that I LOOOOOOOVE! Edy and Abel and Abel Jr. or little Abel or baby Abel, whatever you would like. Edy is just awesome. I LOVE her. Oh man. So they had met with missionaries briefly before but then they moved and then we happened to find them! Well- the Elders found them then we got to go teach them because they are in our area:) sneaky sneaky! But I just love them. I just love teaching them. I love seeing them at church. I love it I love it I love it! (yes- I am kicking my leg in the air in the chair that I'm sitting in right now.....j/k I'm not, j/k I am, j/k I definitely am not.) OK! So how is this for a story! So! We were out visiting one of our investigators and we were crossing the street to go back to the car and then saw this woman and her daughter and I was like, "hey you look busy (because they were walking hurriedly towards the bus) but can we give you something!" and they said yes! Then we told them about the church really quick and that we'd love to come tell them more so we got Marta's phone number and have been calling her but we finally got ahold of her and went and met with her yesterday! And guess what? Her son is totally a member of the church who kind of got lost when they moved here from Florida from Puerto Rico. So not only are we teaching the rest of the family, we're now helping to reactivate the son! Let me just tell you, Heavenly Father KNOWS each and every one of His children and He is looking out for them. Marta was funny. She said, "I was trying to catch the bus to get up to New York and this one runs after me and says she wants to come over to the house! So I let them!" :) Oh Marta:)
Well- I can't think of anything else too terribly exciting. Except that I'm on a mission. Which is pretty much amazing. I am so grateful for the time that I was able to spend in Nauvoo. I feel like I have an important duty to really bear a strong witness that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration. I know it. And I know God knows it. And I can't ever deny it. :) So I love to tell people about Joseph.
Welp! Thanks for being my family. What the what the?!! I looked at the date on Saturday and realized it was two weeks until my birthday! I am getting old. OLDE FOLDE! (that one's for you mamasita:) ) I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!! Be good. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the letters! I loved seeing Daniel's "stash" :) What a goob. And tell Baby thanks for the letter. She is the best drawer I have ever even known in the whole world! Ask if I'm in the candy can air balloon or the rainbow. I'm feeling the rainbow I think:) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

October 26, 2009 "I...32!

2009-10-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

As we walked into the library, we passed a bunch of senior citizens playing bingo. That's the good life:)
Things as far as the mission are really good. I officially had my very first investigator at church yesterday! How exciting right?! She's amazing by the way. Everyone is amazing. My branch is SO SWEET! Everyone just loves each other so much. The primary program was yesterday. It was the most beautiful primary in the world. Such cute different colored babies:) I loved it. I also was able to go and teach YW's yesterday so you know I loved that! Put me in a room where people have to just listen to me speak? GOLDEN!
I really have no idea what to even write about. It's just that there is so much I really don't even know where to start. I can't believe it's this time of year already! I also can't believe how old I am getting. AHHHHHH the computer is kicking me off brb
Sorry- the computers that we use at the library kick us off after a certain amount of time. Crazy crazy. I actually will have to go in a minute. We are going to go and see these waterfalls with our zone. First of all, we live in the middle of the CITY! So I'm excited to go and see this nature that I keep hearing about. There are so many people here I just can not even believe it sometimes. Also of note- please tell me that you do NOT have any Halloween blow up lawn decorations. When we get out to more of the neighborhoods EVERYONE has them. They are crazy. And tacky. I hope Rachelle gets to read that:) Also- we have seen some really disgusting Halloween decorations. Bleh. Also! You want to know how I know this is my mission? One of our counselors is a retired NFL guy. Bart Oates. Man- this was so meant to be right? :)
As far as being a missionary goes, I just can't even believe it. I love it. It's crazy and I LOVE it. I can't believe that God has literally taken me and helped me to become the missionary that He needs me to be. For instance, I love talking to people. Crazy yes, but I do. I wish I would have been better about sharing the gospel with everyone I know. You can bet I will be a superstar member missionary when I get back. I'm glad I have such amazing examples within my family! You guys ROCK! Bomb.com right mom?:) well I love you. But I should probably head out. Sorry I'm not more interesting. I'm SO excited for Gussy's new area! I hope he loves it. I pray for him so much! And for Rachelley! And all the missionaries. Well I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!! Be good! Do work! :)
Sister Picard
Oh PS!!!! How is this for funny!? Our last family picture with Thomas in it and Daniel's smile when he would try and hide his teeth and it looks like he should be saying "turrrtle turrrrtle" :) AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAA I just found that picture in my scriptures and I LOVE it! I love my family. You are officially the best ever. In the world. Yes.

October 19, 2009 "FAMILLLLLYYYY!"

2009-10-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

Family-

Hello my looooooooooooooooooooves! I can't believe how happy being a missionary makes me. It's definitely not an all the time crazy happiness like right now, but it's a general overall happiness that is AMAZING! I would suggest missionary work to anyone:)
I continue to grow to love NJ more and more. It's crazy. You can see the NYC skyline from part of our area. Crazy huh? There are literally people from ALL OVER here. Literally. Everywhere. Just yesterday I taught Jamaicans, Hungarians, Puerto Ricans, and Colombians just to name a few. Crazy huh? I didn't even have to go foreign, the whole stinkin world is right here!
So we live in a driving area and spend a lot of time going from place to place which is annoying. I think I must still have that greenie spirit or something because I pretty much just want to bail out of the car and start talking to everyone I see and knocking on everyone's doors. I still thinking finding is fun. So yes- I must still be a little crazy. Obviously not everyone is super duper excited about listening to us, but it's just fun to talk to people. Yes, you hear me correctly, I just said it was fun to talk to people. WEIRD.
It's such a blessing that the Lord has trusted me with sharing the gospel with the people here in New Jersey! I just love it. Sometimes I think I should be doing so much more so that gets a little frustrating. It's also hard to try and be the "new kid" again. I just want to know everything right now! But! I'm learning. I really do love the branch that I'm in. Everyone loves each other so much and are so supportive of the missionaries. We do a lot of work with less actives because there are 500 members of the branch- so obviously not all of them are attending. It's important to try and help people remember why it is that the gospel is important to them! I think so many times we just assume that the "enduring to the end" part of the gospel is the easy part. FALSE! That's the kicker right there:) So! My message to you is- endure to the end:)
So it's been kinda fun being around Elders again. I just beat up on them all the time. I told them I was a balla. I don't think they believed me till I pasted them all at basketball:) This one nerdy trekky Elder loves my last name. He says that when I get married he hopes that the guy (oh that lucky guy;) AHAHAHAHHA) proposes to me and says "ENGAGE!!!!!" apparently that's a star trek term or something. He seemed to think it was funny....
Welp! Gotta jet! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!! Be good. Be a missionary. Save lives:)

Sister Picard

October 12, 2009 I love my new mission!!!!!!!

2009-10-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok- first on the list is… MY MISSION IS THE SWEETEST MISSION EVER INVENTED IN THE WHOLE WORLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not even joking, Heavenly Father sure did know what He was doing when He sent me here. This place ROCKS! I just love it. I love everything about it. My companion is great. We live with the Spanish sisters who are great. I am in a branch right now. Our area is pretty big. They hadn’t had sisters for awhile so the area just opened back up right before I got here. Sister Child (my companion) just got here like 3 weeks before I did. So, we are still really trying to get everything started here. But it’s AWESOME!!!!!!!!! Being here is like being in another country. There are literally people from all over! Our branch and the two Spanish branches that make up our district (like a stake) had a big activity on Saturday night called International Fest or something like that. There were over 40 countries represented just by the members of those three branches. Definitely Colombia was the best represented. Throughout the night someone would randomly just start yelling “Colombia!!!!!!!!!!!!” then they’d all start cheering and yelling. It was fun. They had food from all over too. Some of the Elders brought pb&j’s from America. NiceJ The work here is sweet. Since we’ve only been here a little while, we’ve been doing a LOT of knocking just trying to find people. It’s actually a lot more enjoyable than I thought it would be. I know that God is helping me to like talking to people, because we all know that it is not one of my most favorite things in the world to do. Maybe it is just because I’m talking about something that is so SWEET! We had a really good lesson with this woman named Linda on Saturday. We knocked into her. She let us right in (crazy I knowJ ) and then we just started telling her the first lesson. Let me just tell you I was SO grateful for my experiences in Nauvoo. I have literally spent all summer gaining a testimony of Joseph Smith, and I was able to share that with her. When we said the First Vision she started to cry and say it was the most beautiful thing she’d ever heard. It was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! We got out of the door and Sister Child was just like, “Sister, that doesn’t ever happen.” Well! I just love it. I love being on a mission. There is just so much I want to tell you and not even enough time! Well- I guess you’ll just have to write me and maybe I can write a letter back. PS- We only get mail here once a week! Crazy. So sorry if I start becoming a lame writer. Please keep sending me e-mails or whatever though. Yes. Missions are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh ps- so I totally was a big girl all by myself when I was flying out here. And my flight got delayed 3 hours so then I went and found another flight that left earlier. I was the LAST standby they let on. But- I didn’t have a cell phone or anything to call my new Mission President- heck I didn’t even know his name. But I found a number and used an airport employees phone and called and told him I was still planning on getting there by hook or by crook ( I have no idea why that expression just came into my mindJ) and just left a message at his house. Then I got on the plane and hoped that somehow someone would eventually pick me up. Then I got to Newark and no one was there and my luggage didn’t come. AAAHAHAHHAHAA. But they eventually got there and I found them and eventually also retrieved my luggage. And that’s all that isJ I LOVEYOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good. Be missionaries. Do work. And oh goodness are you blessed to have the gospel in your lives! Make sure you appreciate it!

Sister Picard

Her new address:
Sister Sara Picard
NJ Morristown Mission
1719 Route 10 Ste 309
Parsippany NJ 07054

October 5, 2009 'welp. life is good in the hood.'

2009-10-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

Family-

So we were given permission to write home today. I wish that I would have known so that I could have told you! Alas! Everyone is starting to get way stressed out about packing up and moving out. I would say that I am not stressed at all. I'm just the Thomas O'Malley of the bunch. I walk around singing about abraham delacey gee oh suffa kacey. I'm all packed up. I cleaned the kitchen and made cookies today for everyone. The note on them said, "Live Long and Prosper. (Please eat these cookies. Not as a token of my love, but to be enjoyed, only if you choose to do so.)"
I LOVED General Conference. I was only able to watch the Sunday sessions. I was serving at the 70's Hall all day Saturday. I'm sad that I missed part of Conference, but I know I will just be able to study the Ensign when it comes out next month. Just one more reason why November is the sweetest month ever. Also- it will be my birthday birthday birthday! Dang- I am getting a little bit on the old side though. But I shouldn't worry too much because really that just means that Dad is an old man if I'm getting old :) My favorite Conference address that I saw was Elder Holland's. Every time he gets up to the pulpit I just get so excited! He is my kind of man. Just says it like it is. We were talking afterward how not everyone can speak like he does, but that each apostle has a particular way of speaking so that they are able to affect a variety of people. That is definitely how it is in the Visitor's Center. All of the sisters here are SO different. It's a good thing though because it's almost guranteed that all of the visitor's will click with at least one of the sisters.
So! We leave bright and early on Wednesday morning. Tomorrow we are cleaning our whole entire house. That should be a task. I'm sure it will be really fun actually:) I love you all lots! Be good! I have no idea where I'll be after probably one on Wednesday, nor do I know when my preparation day is. So- you should be hearing from me at some point. I also have no idea what my new mission address is. So...... I'll let you know when I find out. You all can still e-mail though.... if you want to:) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

October 1, 2009 "Lovin the Temple!!!"

2009-10-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

FAMILY!

Well- life is good. I honestly can not believe that this time next week I will be in NEW JERSEY!?!?!? Crazy huh?  But! I am so so so so so so so SOOOOO excited! Nauvoo has been just an awesome experience, but I would be lying to you to say that I’m not excited for my next 6 months!
So! For the very first time on my mission I went tracting last night. Sister Goodrich and I went out with the Carthage sisters. It was SWEET!!!! It almost felt surreal. I mean, I have been on a mission going on 7 months now so the whole missionary part wasn’t that different but I have never stood on someone’s porch and talked about the gospel. It was just- wow. Interesting. But SO good! We spoke with one lady whose family had been RLDS and now she’s Methodist. That was interesting to hear about her history. My first door I was able to get a return appointment. A girl answered the door so I was like, “Is your mom or dad home?” and then she went and got her mom and her mom came out wearing an Illinois sweatshirt so I go, “the fighting Illini!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love them!” and she just warmed right up to me. See- sports knowledge comes in handy She told me I’d have to come play basketball with her daughter sometime and show her a thing or two. HA! It was so cool though. It was such a great experience. I was amazed at how easy it was to love people. It could also be really awkward. And people could hate on you. So- win some lose some. Definitely a cat was following us around all over. That was kind of annoying. I almost wanted to drop kick it over a fence, but I thought that wouldn’t be something good for other people to see. Not very Christlike or missionary-ish
I’m trying to think of other exciting things going on. We leave on Wednesday morning to our field assignments. AHHHHH!!!!! Crazy. I honestly thought that this time would never ever come. It just loomed in the future and never felt like it was getting any closer. I just have to tell you that I feel so at peace with where I’m going. Granted, I had never even heard of Morristown, but I know it’s where God wants me to be.
I’m really trying to think of something good or interesting or funny that has happened lately. I got nothing. I made healthy muffins for all the sisters this morning for breakfast since it was my prep day. Sister Alexander called them “nuffins” because they have “nuffin” in them
I only get to watch Sunday Conference and only part of it. I am serving in the 70’s Hall all day Saturday. “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven………”  But! I figure I’ll just get it in the November Ensign. I’m SOOOOOOOOO excited for conference though. Make sure and watch it. Love it. Live it. I don’t know where I was going with that really. But! Crazy that it’s October huh?! Almost my birthday time…. Not really. Well- I’m just rambling. Best get to gettin. LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep being good! Thanks for all your love and support. That sounds cheesy- but I really mean it. LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

PS!!!!! I just remembered something that is REALLY exciting that is happening tonight!!!!! We get to go and help clean the Nauvoo Temple. Half the sisters went last night and we get to go tonight! I'm SOOOOOO thrilled! I'll tell you how that goes next week. From New Jersey. AHHHHHH crazy.

September 26, 2009 "Start spreadin the news......"

2009-09-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

So! Surprise of a lifetime! We were supposedly going to clean the temple last night so we all met at the mission home at about 8 pm and then President started reading us all these scriptures about preaching the gospel all over the world and I was sitting there like, "hmmmmm this doesn't sound very temple-y" and then! He told us that he was going to let us know where we are going! Let me just say- I am so glad that he decided to just blind side us with it. It worked out much better that way. I didn't even have time to get nervous. So now the exciting news I suppose! For the next six months I will be serving in.......

MORRISTOWN NEW JERSEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know what you are thinking- what the what the? where is that?!?!?!? That's at least what I thought. And still kind of think. But- I pulled out the atlas this morning. So I know it's by New York. And from what everyone keeps telling me I'm going to the hood. But- apparently everyone thinks I'm pretty hood because they keep saying "oh you'll be perfect there!" But Sister Goodrich says they only say that because they know I can handle it:) So! That's the word on the word. So e-mail everyone and let them know. And if you find anything out about it- let me know. LOVE YOU!

Sister Picard

September 24, 2009 "3 days left....."

2009-09-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

Family-

This will have to be a short and quick note because I am leaving in approximately 10 minutes to go to Quincy with some of the Senior missionaries. I'm REALLY excited! It should be a lot of fun. We had transfers on Sunday. My new companion is Sister Goodrich. I love her SO much. Oh my goodness. Life has just been good since Sunday. I'm really glad that we are companions before I go out in the field. At the same time I'm sad that we're only comps for two weeks! Oh well:) So! This Sunday is the big day! We find out where we are going on our field transfer! I'm SO ready to know. Not that I have been counting down or anything, but let's just say this is a day that I have been looking forward to ALL summer. Have any guesses where it might be? Sister Goodrich and I both had dreams of where we are going, so we'll see if they're right:) I just so badly want to just feel like I'm going where I'm supposed to go. That's really all. I don't care where it is, I just want to know I'm supposed to be there. And not have a minor freak out like I did when I was sent to Nauvoo. So! I suppose we'll see:) I just am so excited. Not that Nauvoo isn't great, but I'll finally be able to start doing what I signed up to do. Which is preach the gospel:) AHHHH!!!!! I'm just excited. For these next 6 1/2 months or whatever it is I just want to work SO hard. Because I have all of this bottled up inside me. And I only get to do this for 6 months! So I have to make the best of it! I'm excited.
Ok, I will try to stop speaking about my field transfer so much. I still have a lot left to do in Nauvoo. We've been trying to get all the loose ends wrapped up in the Call Center. Sister Goodrich and I were calling last night and something really neat happened. We use the same program that goes through BYU as the missionaries in the MTC use to call people. So we were using the Call Center and I got a message from one of the guys at the MTC that said "we're swamped will you take some calls?" or something like that and we were like "HECK YES WE WILL!!!!!!!!!!!" So! We were able to take some of the inbound calls from the MTC. Which was really good for us. Because those are all the people who call in because they want a copy of the Book of Mormon or something. So they're already interested in the Church. And everyone I spoke with accepted having the missionaries over. So it was WONDERFUL! It's funny thinking back to the MTC. Not that I didn't love the Call Center then, I just appreciate it so much more now! Those calls were so easy compared to what we do now. So it was a nice little refresher:) I was able to have some really good discussions with some really good people. I appreciate that. I am slowly coming to terms with my role in the Visitor's Center. It's a big matter of faith. I just have to trust those missionaries that I send to all of these peoples homes. But! God trusts me. So who am I to have qualms with trusting huh? :)
Well! I love you all a lot! Sorry I don't have that much to say. Sister Goodrich and I were going to ride our bikes around today because we wanted to be like "real missionaries" :) but they said we couldn't because it was raining too hard. She likes to be hardcore like me. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good. Get excited for Conference! It's going to be AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a perfect thing to send me out in to the field! That will be one of my last days here in Nauvoo. I'm SO excited. I'm just praying that I will be prepared for the messages that will be shared. I'm especially excited to hear from good ol Elder Perry now:) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

September 19, 2009 "Oh how I love my Saaaaaaaavior!" (it's a song on the come thou fount motab cd)

2009-09-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Family of my life-

Well- I'm going to try and write a really good e-mail, but to be quite honest with you, sometimes I just don't :) BUT! This week we have an exciting topic! We just hosted the North America Central States Mission President Seminar! Wooo! Big long name. Elder L. Tom Perry came as well as Elders Rasband, Hallstrom and Snow of the 70, all of the area authorities, and 18 mission presidents and all of their wives. Lots and lots of people! Well, first of all let me just tell you that I debated about how much detail I am going to go into about the whole experience because you will probably just laugh at my mission even more and degrade it, but! oh well. It is what it is. I am a Visitors Center sister. I may as well own up to it huh? So, our main job was to feed everyone while they were here. This meant that we set up the cultural hall in the stake center with all of the place settings, center pieces, etc etc etc and help with preparing and serving all of the food and then take down everything and wash it all and make more food all before the next meal. I know you are probably all laughing but I do not think I have ever been that tired before on my mission. We had to be ready to go at six in the morn and we had special orders from our mission president that we had to "look good." So sisters were getting up at like 4:30. Crazy crazy. We also had color coordinated outfits dependent on the day, Sunday through Wednesday.Then we were at the stake center all day until 9:30-ish. At first I thought, "wow I kind of like all of this craziness- doing events like this would be fun." I still kind of think that, I would just like to be the one in charge:). And- no offense to the lady who made the food, because she is a very nice lady, but everything that was served had approximately a bajillion pounds of butter and mayo and fat in it. I wanted to be like Izma and say "is there anything on this menu that isn't swimming in gravy?" But I didn't :) I was able to learn a little bit more about how to be a waitress. That was fun. I got to "wait on" Elder Perry. He sure is a funny guy. I kept thinking I should have been all flabbergasted to be in his presence, but he really is just a normal person. Imagine that huh? It was interesting because our future mission presidents could have been at that conference. We were able to find out a couple of the missions that people will be going to. We know that someone is going to Billings MT (yay Gussy! :) ) and 2 sisters are going to Denver South. Denver South is where all of my district from the MTC is. So! Yes- I am very anxiously awaiting hearing where I will be for the next 6 months of my life. I am trying not to guess. I am really hoping I'll just be happy wherever it is and that I'll know that's where the Lord needs me. I wouldn't mind any prayers you might like to say for me though :) I suppose I could always go to Riverside and be with Gussy! Actually- I think chances of that happening are slim to none- but hey! So let's see what has been awesome. OH YES! Ok- I will tell you this experience then I should probably go. So! There has been this one Visitor's Center referral that I have been calling on. It's a boy named Christian who just lives a little ways from Nauvoo. He came here and wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon so I called to get missionaries to deliver it. He is still in high school and lives at home and his parents didn't want the missionaries over so it's been hard to try and figure out a solution. It's really really REaLLY hard for me to not want to just teach him everything over the phone by myself. It's hard to realize that my purpose right now here in Nauvoo is to help other missionaries to be able to teach people. But! Nonetheless, that's what I was trying to do. So! We figured out that we could have the missionaries come over to his friends house and teach him there. But then when he left a message for me (since we haven't been in the Call Center for awhile) the number for his friend got cut off and all this blah blah blah drama and I was just like "oh please just let us somehow get the missionaries to Christian!" But! I finally got in contact with him on Thursday night and come to find out that the Carthage proselyting sisters had tracted in to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He doesn't even live in Carthage! It's like seriously- the biggest miracle ever. I was just so happy! And he was kind of apologetic that I didn't get to help him or I don't even know whatever and I was just like "Oh Christian- you have NO idea how happy I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And I just continued to flip out. So I was happy the rest of the night:) Moral of the story- life is good. I am SO excited to see what will be happening in my life in the next little bit. I just love being a missionary. God loves me. He is even helping me to not miss football so much:) Well! I love you lots! I might try to get some letters off- but- I am sending pics through e-mail. Also- I don't know when prep day will be next week because we have transfers tomorrow. Yes- transfers for like two weeks. Crazy. So! We'll see what happens. LOVE YOU LOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

September 10, 2009 "Proper Picard"

2009-09-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

Family-

So, I was reading in the white handbook that I'm supposed to be more professional in the way that I communicate with my family. To be honest, I have actually read that section several times. I just now started feeling guilty about it. So I will try and remedy how I usually express myself in e-mails. Instead, I will try and be more "sister mish" and when I say sister mish I mean sister missionary. Since I was also scolded for my excessive use of "slang" or "abbreviated terms." So! Let me see, how do I write to you now? Well, first of all, life is good. Life is great. Life is WONDERFUL! Everything here in Nauvoo has slowed down. We only get a fraction of the visitors that we used to. We are still staying busy doing a lot of calling and what not. We also teach the senior couples every night usually two or three appointments. It's been a really good experience because I really needed practice on actually sitting down in someone's home and teaching a whole entire lesson. Usually I just try and teach principles from lessons while giving tours. Which is definitely different. Well, I'm trying to think of anything terribly exciting to write about with out saying any slang terms or abbreviations. I love speaking with non-members. We have had a lot of them come into the Visitor's Center (not VC :) oh man this is killing me) lately. I most of all like showing people that Mormons are definitely not weird. OH! Did I tell you about this? I forget. I went to this place in Iowa called New London on "Nauvoo on the Road." We load up a whole bunch of pioneer-ish type things in this big trailer and go to county fairs and such in the surrounding area. Two weeks ago I think? I went with Sister Alexander and some of the senior couples to New London. It was pretty SWEEEEEET! Oh I mean it was a very nice experience. Well- it was a funny experience and I'm just going to speak from my mind about all of this ok? Ok. So! We get there and first of all I had to be wearing my pioneer dress which a) already makes the situation salty (right hann? :) I'm sorry I'm a dweeb) and then b) I totally didn't do my hair and I just put on mascara but I told everyone I was trying to look "historic" AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHA and lets see what else. Ok. So I'm not sure if I was ever aware of how hick this part of the country is. Example one. So we were talking to this family. They kind of reminded me of the Duggars because all the girls wore skirts and the mom had big poof hair. Except they were more farmer version of the Duggars. And they thought that we were all polygamists from Salt Lake. I vote that having to wear a pioneer dress probably didn't help their perception of us at all :) HA! Anyways- so after we were telling them about the Gospel (since that is what we do) they sounded pretty good with all of it and we gave them pass along cards and everything. But! Oh yes. Man- I have to tell you about this you are going to love it. So out here- at all of these little city/county gatherings or whatever they have what are called "tractor pulls" and in these tractor pulls they have this mini-tractors that are kind of like a tricycle or big wheel or something but you pedal it. That's the point. So they stick little kids on these tractors and then they strap on weights to the back and see who can pull the most. That's what they do. And it's a HUGE deal. The pseudo-Duggars came from like 2 hours away just to do the tractor pull. They like go all over to do these things. The kids get trophies. It's a big deal. And let me just tell you- it's crazy. There was this like 8 year old girl who was pulling like 260 pounds. And this 10 year old boy who broke 300. And this little baby pulling like 200. Whatever. It was crazy. I figured that back in the day I probably coulda just thrown weight around with my man thighs and everything. I was probably built for tractor pulling glory. Too bad we didn't live out in the mid west...... :) Ok. That was a big tangent. I'm sorry. My comps still writing though.... so let's see what else. We find out where we're going on our outbounds in about 2 weeks? I think. I'm not good with time anymore. It just.... all runs together. Oh I know. This is a big deal because my prep day might be different next week. They are having the mission president conference for the central USA and so we're having 18 mission presidents come in and three 70's and L. Tom Perry. I'll write more about that next week I think though. It's a pretty big deal. We've been planning it for years.... hahaha name that movie. Well we have known about it for awhile. I can't remember if I told you about it or not. But! That's what I'll write about next week. Should be AWESOME!!!!!!!! I'm excited:) And now you all probably think I have even more of a cushy never do any work mission. Well- think what you will. I've officially decided that no one will ever know what my mission is like unless they've served here. And everyone else will just mock me the rest of my life. Alas:) OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just even remembered! BYU STINKIN BEAT OKLAHOMA!!!!!!!!?!?!??!?!?!?!??!?!??!?!?!?!? DUH!!!!!!!!!! Where am I at even? Goodness. I just have to tell you. I was so just having to try SO hard to focus all day Saturday. And I resisted the urge to call any of the senior couples on Saturday night and find out the score. So I walked into church on Sunday and Pres. Reber comes up to me and says, "have you heard yet" and I was very anxious and said "no what happened?" and he has this really dead serious look on his face and goes "well Oklahoma 13.... byu 14" and then I flipped out in the middle of the foyer and started doing a happy dance and doing some air punches and I didn't scream or anything which I thought was good. But! I was. very. happy. And then like 8 other Elders came up and made sure I had heard what the score was. Apparently word has gotten out that I like BYU football?? What? Weird. Anyways. I did hear that Bradford got messed up. That's rough- he's such a cute little indin heisman winner. But! Win some lose some right? I'm going to really have to try and focus myself when we play FSU. OH man. I'm going to try very hard. We'll see what happens. Well! Much love! I need to jet! Isn't that Jimmy Neutron or something? I don't know anything anymore. Oh shood. I totally did not meet my goal of writing eloquently. Dang. Well. Next week:) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

September 3, 2009 "Rise and Shout"

2009-09-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody! It's so good to see ya- we hope that you enjoy our shoooooooooooow!!! That's the opening song from Sunset by the Mississippi. It's stuck in my head right now. SO!!!!!! What has been going on this past week may you ask? Well- let me just let you know. Life has been AWESOME! That's right- AWESOME! But- isn't it always when you are a missionary? I was actually just speaking with one of my girls Sister Johnson yesterday about how if you would've asked us a year ago if we'd be on missions we would be like "heck stinkin no" and then if you would have shown us a pic of what we were wearing we probably would have passed out of shame:) hahahahahahah You should have seen me yesterday. I was in rare form. So I have this favorite outfit of mine- it's a black skirt with a white shirt and that black J Crew like wool jacket thing and I wear it like 5 times a week. And I look absolutely shapeless- like the white handbook tells me to:) hahahahah but! It was really cold in the VC yesterday so I had to put on another sweater. And it was this total old lady sweater that was this pukey shade of brown that is way wide and short and boxy looking and all crocheted looking and pretty much if I were to see it I would say "cat-lady" So I was wearing my sweet outfit. And I've been doing this thing lately- I think that my hair has gotten curlier in the humidity or something. So I never have time in the morning to get ready. Correction- I don't want to get ready in the morning so I've just been diffusing my hair and yes mom- I still do wear makeup. At least eyeliner and mascara. But! I will say my hair has been looking pretty "historic" as of late (that was for you papi:) ) So---- I just know I was lookin pretty good yesterday:) AAHAHAHAHAHAH I'm sorry. I don't know why I felt the need to just tell you all of that. It's not really important to the work. The work by the way is AWESOME! We're almost there with all of our calling. We still call at least 3 hours a day. I don't know about you- but I will never want to talk to anyone on the phone ever again in my whole life. And the thing of it is- every time you call someone- you HAVE to take it seriously. Because you know how much the person that referred them loves and cares about them. And I just think of how I'd want missionaries to treat any of my referrals. So that's helpful in keeping perspective. OH man. So I got this one ringback tone- and let me just tell you- ringbacks tend to be the highlight of your night when you're in the call center. And I think it's a new BEYONCE SONG!!! And I'm pretty sure I would love it if I ever heard more than just the chorus. So I just had to dance it out. My comp was like "Sister! Sister!" and I was like "I'm sorry I just have to dance it out right now" So- if that song is any good- I'll be obsessed with it in a year when I get home:) Ok! This was a sweet experience! So- I'm pretty sure that I got a wrong number or was calling the wrong thing or I'm not exactly sure what had happened but! I just started talking to this guy named Jose who had no idea about Nauvoo or anything and so I just started talking to him about the CD and guess what?! He totally wanted the CD. I am really coming to terms with my calling as a VC sister. Which is a good thing. I realize that right now, my biggest responsibility is to get these people I'm calling to accept missionaries- and then I just need to put faith in the missionaries that will go and actually get to teach them. So I just do my best at what I'm supposed to be doing now. BUT! Let me just tell you. Ok- so! We go on our outbounds on October 7th. Yes- that would be a month away. CRAZY! So- what they are doing here is a program called "Angels in the Outfield." ps- things here have slowed WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY down. We are lucky if 200 people come through the VC. Crazy crazy. Summer is definitely over in Nauvoo:) anyways. SO! Angels- what it is. All of the senior couples sign up for appointments and then all of us young sister missionaries go over and teach them every night. They are given different scenarios and then we are teaching them as if they're progressing investigators. So- it's pretty much like the MTC for three hours a night where we just go and have teaching appointments all night! IT'S THE SWEETEST THING OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It gets me SO excited to actually be able to teach people. I just like do little dances walking up the sidewalk to their houses. And then I do little dances coming out of the house. And then I sing songs about how much I love teaching the people in the car. It just feels so good to teach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man. So good. And I know that it's just a "role play" but at the same time I know that I'm getting important practice in. And that I can really still teach the senior couples as themselves. And that it's still my job to strengthen their testimonies. I just love it. I will also admit- it is weird to not be going back to school. But! Have no fear!!!!! I've found my kindred spirit here in Nauvoo. Sister Sandstrom is probably the only woman in a thousand mile radius who might love BYU football as much as I do. And she's going to be keeping me updated:) She wanted to say she had important business in Dallas this weekend to go down for the game. But then she figured the camera would pan the audience and there she would be sitting with her little black tag on waving:) hahaha. I just love all the senior couples here. They are amazing. Well! I need to get to getting. BUT! I love you all!!!!!!!!!!! Be good. I'll try and get some pics in the mail today. We're going to wal-mart- so I may actually print them off:) love you lots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

August 27, 2009 "Just two kids having a good time"

2009-09-03T12:30:00.001-07:00

Well Familia- let me just tell you something. Today has been CRAZY!!!!!!!!! But SOOOOOOOOOO fun. We went to Hannibal MO with three of the senior couples. These senior couples are seriously my three favorites. Or I should say three of my favorites. But really- my three favorites:) Hannibal is Mark Twain's childhood home (his name is sam clemens you know! bodee ba john-o bodee bodee! --my girl hann;) ) It was pretty sweet. I made everyone hike up and see this lighthouse with me. We went and saw Mark's "childhood home." We saw a lot of touristy stuff. We went and ate out for lunch that was SOOOOOOOOOO tastay! I had the best salad. OH man. It was so good. Real food. SOOOOO good. And there was this cute little boutique/salon that I got to go in for like one second. But it was just fun to feel like maybe I was a girl again for just a minute:) Then..... we went to the Mark Twain caves! I have to admit- I didn't know how much I was about this whole cave business. I don't like the thought of being underground. It creeps me out when I think about being 30 miles under the ground or whatever we were. Actually maybe that was more like ft? Miles seems a little bit much now that I'm thinking about it:) ha! well! Yes. And my equilibrium was all off- like I was almost sea sick or something. My sense of direction was just all whacked out- even though I'm native:) And then! They did this thing where they turned off all the lights so we were in complete darkness blackness whatever and we first had to make the comparison to the gospel being a light in our lives - ha we're missionaries:)- but then! They were telling us that if you were to be in complete darkness for 6 weeks you would go blind. So then I started thinking about Gollum. And how he would have gone blind just chillin under that mountain for hundreds of years. But... then I also thought that was fictitious :) Anyways! So that was a neat experience. I'm SOOOO grateful for the senior couples here. It was such a fun day. All three couples are such an example to me. The elders are seriously just the funniest people ever. They know how to have fun and how to be serious. And the sisters are just amazing. I love them all so much! But! In other news- we've just been calling calling calling calling!!!!!!! I did have a way sweet tour the other day. I was tag teaming it with Sis Aston again for some reason. Good things happen when we do that though:) And we taught this guy from Fort Madison and his friend from NORWAY!!!!!! It was SO good. We didn't get them to fill out a referral here- but they did take cards. Which was an improvement. Because they were so hesistant at first to listen. OH YEAH! I had this SWEET tour yesterday with a mom and her son (who was like in his 40's) from NC. I love talking to people from the south:) And they were so good to talk to about the gospel. They were really good to hear me out- which I really appreciated. And I always try to be very respectful of other peoples religions as well. They were baptist. I always try to highlight more of our similarities than to focus on our differences. Like Pres Hinckley talked about- bring what good they have and let us add to it. I felt SOOOO close with getting to them to have missionaries over but they didn't feel that it was a good idea. They did say at the end of the tour that I was just the person they needed to talked to them and they were glad they talked to me. It was good because SO much of the time I just feel like I don't do anything here. And I keep trying and trying and trying and I always feel like I should be doing sooooo much better. At everything. And that I'm very inadequate. And I think I still am. But I was glad to have that tour. So yesterday I was in the Call Center for 6 stinkin hours. That is a looooooooooooooooong time. Especially if you know me well enough to know how much I love being on the phone :) But! THe work is good. I'm pretty sure we've passed the thousand mark for missionaries being sent. I know the other night we sent out over one hundred. It makes me feel good to know that even if I'm not the missionary getting to teach- I'm at least giving some other missionary the opportunity to. Which is a neat feeling. So! Just pray for me. Sometimes it's hard to keep calling. But I just have to psyche myself up "I love being in the call center I love talking on the phone I love talking to the people I love talking to the people I LOVE talking to the people" and then just do work. I have to be diligent. It's easy to get distracted. Sometimes when I start slurring my words or being incoherent I'll just go run around out in the hall for a couple minutes to make my head start thinking again :) Well! I have to go- sorry. We got back way late. And pday is over in 8 minutes! And then I'm going to go call for three hours:) I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! I'm SO proud of Daniel. He sounds like he's tearing it up in football. Well duh:) How's the eating? Thanks a bunch for the letters from Baby and Daniel. It made my day. The pics are awesome. The pic of baby doing her thinking pose I think one of the sisters saw and said "that's SO a sister picard thing to do:) " so they all think she's little mini-me. I also liked the pic of baby and daniel in the front of the boat "just two kids and they're having a good time" :) and dad in his superman cape!!!!!!!! it is... his superman cloak! I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!

August 20, 2009 "I love the Indiana Pacers"

2009-09-03T12:29:00.001-07:00

First and foremost most important thing of the world. AUBREY POTTER IS THE COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So! Right on Monday after transfers and just everything crazy I was needing a little pick-me-up. I didn't get home until like 10:15 and what was waiting for me? A lil package. And what was inside that package!?!?!?!??!?! AN OFFICIAL STINKIN MUG FROM THE OFFICIAL STINKIN NBA STINKIN DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And what was also in that little box (I'll put that box inside of another box... and then I'll smash it with a HAMMA. sorry- it was just in my head) TYLER HANSBROUGHS OFFICIAL LITTLE NAME PAPER THINGY THAT HE MOST DEFINITELY TOUCHED!!!! aaaaahahahahahahahahah. I peed my pants. I loved it. I still love it. I drink everything in that mug. No one else is allowed to use it. Because I don't want it broken. And everyone thinks I'm crazy. As if they didn't already:) Well well well...... What to say about the last week hmm? It was actually kind of crazy now that I think about it. We had transfers. I'm staying in Nauvoo. My prep day is still Thursday- obviously:) The YPM's all went home on Tuesday. It was kind of a big deal for everyone. I'll miss some of them I'm sure, but! just as a general rule I'm not much into goodbyes and being emotional:) They had a YPM Talent Show on Monday night which was pretty fun. One of the Elders sang "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler on the Roof. He even did the Tevye shimmy thing. And one of the sisters just about peed her pants she could not even handle it. It was fun watching everyone watch. Ohhh such awkward sister missionaries- gotta love it! It was good laughs though. You need to laugh like that every once and awhile. I will tell you what was really sad though. Two of the 2nd summer sisters went home this morning :( Two of my most favorite sisters of all time ever!!!!!!! Sister Granja and Sister Ahrendsen! Granja is my cute little Brazilian. And Ahrendsen was one of the Assistants. So- it was a pretty big deal. I will admit I even got a little teary-eyed this morning when they left. It was just sad knowing I could never see Granja again. Don't worry- I gave her a sweet present. And I gave Sister Ahrendsen one of my bows. I told her it's super lucky and will get her lots of dates :) It's kinda crazy knowing that we'll be going on our outbound soon. It's actually really crazy. I guess President maybe already knows where we're going? Crazy business. I try not to think about it. It's just- I just don't even want to have an opinion so that I can just be happy wherever I go. I have lots of places visitors have told me I should go:) Tacoma WA, Mississippi, Louisiana, Colorado...... so I have friends everywhere now:) I got to watch part of Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration in spanish yesterday! We had this family from Chile come in- of course they thought I spoke spanish- and then part of my heart got ripped out like it always does when I had to tell them I don't speak spanish- but! I did get the spanish Joseph to work for them. It was sweet. Probably the coolest thing of my life continues to be calling. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE calling. We're trying to get through all the referrals and it's coming along! I don't know if I'm allowed to say or not but Sister Brinkerhoff was saying yesterday that we've sent out about 800 referrals so far. That's INSANEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! That's 800 people that are having the missionaries over. Do you even know what that means!?!?!?!??!?!?! 800 PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE MISSIONARIES OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And we're no where close to be done with actually contacting everyone. The hardest/most frustrating thing is trying to get information from the members of the church. A lot of times they just put down their own contact information and then a name so that we have to call them and get their friends phone number so we can then call the friend and make sure it's okay that the missionaries are coming over. Wow- long sentence. Sorry. So! Actually getting the non-member info can sometimes be a pain. So! now you know when you refer- just help a sista missionary out. And if she leaves you a message- call back. Thank you very much. Things have slowed down a lot here with all the shows being over for the summer. It's kind of weird. I've just been so busy for so long. And we still stay really busy with calling- but still. It's different not talking to a bajillion of people everyday. Instead- maybe only like a million:) The thing that makes me happiest is when people say yes to receiving the CD. The thing that makes me saddest is when people tell me I don't believe in Jesus. Another thing that makes me happiest is thinking about my family. I'm trying really hard to get all prepped for the outbound. I need to know the lessons better. I don't want to be a total dweebo when I go out in the field. I mean- I'll have been on my mission for 7 months by then. It's not like I'm a total greenie. But I'll still be trained and everything. Because it will be very different. But! I want to make the learning curve as easy as possible. So I've really been trying hard to practice lessons and study them and memorize all the scriptures I can! Because we all know- when I finally get a chance to be out in the field........ daaaaaaaaaaang:) Well- hopefully by then I will just be able to do whatever it is that God needs me to. So! I need to be as prepared as possible. I'm not sure of anything else cool to tell you. Oh. Here is a story for you. So! Last night as a farewell/departing treat some of the sisters- we decided to have a little dance partay. And we dressed up like idiots. We always tease Granja about not being American- so I got plastered in this American flag streamer business and was lookin pretty good. We were just being crazies. It honestly doesn't happen very often. Mostly just because the sisters were leaving and we needed to just dance it out one last time to our favorite jam here on the mish----- that would be "The Light" from the stand in the light efy cd. I'm telling you- classay!!!!!!!!! It was fun. You just have to have fun sometimes. Especially if it's to prevent you from being sad:) Well! I love you all most dearly. Keep up the good work. Do work. :) I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

August 13, 2009 "Hoping to make-up for past lameness of not writing"

2009-09-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

OK!!!!!! Well. First of all, I am very sorry I haven't written in forever. I know that everyone is just dying with out my sparkling personality shining through my weekly e-mails. So yes- I am still alive and kickin. More than that really. I can still kick streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch and KICK! I have no idea where to even begin my e-mail. Because I really don't remember what the last thing I wrote was even about. Probably something sweet like pageant I think. Pageant was amazing. SOOOOOOOOOOOO busy though. For that reason, I am okay with it being over. But I miss the bagpipes:) ha! Well- now we just spend all our time calling all of the bajillion of referrals that were received during pageant. That is FUN! Remember how much I loved calling in the MTC (which is a LOT if you don't remember) it's like that all over again. Except better. Because we're giving out sweet sweet CD's from Pageant. And people are usually pretty excited about that. It's fun too because we're supposed to try and keep the conversations concise so we can get through them all. So we're just very to the point and spiritual and you know- all the good missionary business :) So we call for at least two hours a day. On top of everything else. Which is still sweet. We've had some way famous people here lately- like for instance David Archuleta. AAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHA That was fun. Funny. Fun. He came at a time when there was a bajillion of youth groups here and got mobbed by everyone. I didn't get to meet the little popstar or anything. I just saw him at pageant. Oh and where was I? Oh yeah- being a sister missionary:) It's funny because one of the YPM's kinda resembles him a little bit so he'd get mistaken for him all the time:) So there was that fun experience! One of the members of Jericho Road was here too (the black one). I gave them a tour at Carthage. I just LOVED his wife. She was amazing. Is amazing. She is an RM too. It made me feel good about being a sister. LIke- you can be normal and be a sister:) And their little babies were SOOOOOOOOOOOO cude. So let's see what else has been happening. Oh- I get eaten to death by chiggers every day of my life. That's pretty sweet. But I really can't complain. Because it has been a really really mild summer from what we hear. So! You win some and you lose some I figure. Vocal Point is here. They are "an international award winning men's acappella group from Brigham Young University." We don't watch their show- because we're calling then. But! We greet for it. Which means we hand out programs and make people feel happy and loved! But! It's been sweet having them here because they bring in a lot of non-members from the surrounding areas. Which is always a good thing for us:) But when I hear them sing they sing all these apostate songs that I get stuck in my head. Especially Thriller. Or "triller" as Sister Granja says:) I just want to get up and dance!!!!! But I can't! Ok- speaking of crazy. So my comp got her hair highlighted today at this salon in Ft Madison so I was just sitting there and had brought in my Ensign to read conference talks and maybe write in my journal or something but they had the radio on and let me just tell you- Satan must have been controlling that radio because pretty much every song I even loved came on. The most ironic "Babylon" by that one guy- I forget. I love it though. And!!!! Coldplay came on. duh. And then! The icing on the cake..... yes. you guessed it. SEPTEMBER BY EW&F CAME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was just like "oh Sister Picard, just don't lose focus right now. I know this is your best dancing groove but you just have to not.. ok.... focus." so! There's a funny little tidbit about today. Oh! I know what has been cool. So every night when we're calling there is a lady that comes in a cleans the Visitor's Center. So I've talked to her and stuff before but the other night I was like "ok. weird. we're calling all these people about cd's but has anyone ever thought to ask her?" So I did. And she was interested. So she just kept talking to us. And we kept telling her more about the Church. And she wanted a Book of Mormon. Go figure right? :) I love times when I feel like I get to teach a little bit. It's just different here. It's hard though. It's hard to try and incorporate principles of the lessons into the script at the bakery or Heber C's house. BUT! You just do it. And you just pray you're saying the right things. And Heavenly Father is so wonderful to give me SO many things to be happy about on a daily basis. My most happy things these days are when people accept having the missionaries over. Then I just pray lots that they're good missionaries. I'm sure they are. It's SOOOOO cool to be able to see how close people are to our beliefs. Or when they accept having missionaries over. It's AWESOME!!!!!!!!! I love it. I LOVE it. Oh. EFY has been here lately. The past two weeks in fact. That's been interesting. What a sweet place to have EFY though. Also- Granja, Ahrendsen and all the YPM's leave next week. After that everything here is going to get REALLY slow I hear. But! We're still calling! So there is this line from pageant that Parley P Pratt says and it goes "When you're here, we're here." Our sister mish motto is now "when you're not here... we're still here." :) OH MY GOODNESS I ALMOST FORGOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And this is the thing that Daddy is going to love the most!!!!!!!!!! So! I'm just in the VC you know just doing what I do and then! In walk these people so I go to talk to them since that is what I do and they see my name tag and just start to flip out! So get this. They are legit FROM France and their last name is PICARD!!!!!!!!!! How sweet huh? They just loved me after that:) And told me that I should speak French. I agreed with them. I'd love to speak a different language:) hint hint *cough* outbound. But! They were just awesome! And gave me all their information and told me to come visit! They are temple missionaries in the Madrid Spain temple right now though. Cool huh? AWESOME! It's so fun to see how people literally talk to the people that they should. That was a dumb sentence. What I mean is that over and over again in the VC especially certain sisters will talk to certain people that come in for specific reasons. Well!!!!!!!!!! I just love my mission. I'll try and do some cooler stuff to tell everyone about. But- the gospel should be pretty cool. Cool enough for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I LOVE YOU!!!!!! Be good!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

July 16, 2009 "When you're here, we're here" quote from Nauvoo pageant

2009-09-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

Oh HEEEEEEEYYYY!!!!! Ok. So I have like a minute to write to you. Literally. So I will try to make it fast. And informative. At the same time. Yes. Well! Pageant is going on! OH! First of all! Transfers were on Sunday. I still have the same prep day so here I sit on this wonderful Thursday morn. I am comps with Sis Lukens. She's tight. We served out in Carthage together my first transfer there. She's from CA. And she even knows and loves Sufjan. I appreciate here. And we like to shake it to the bagpipes here during pageant. So that's fun. In case you weren't aware- there is this big bagpipe band thing that they have here for pageant. They are SWEEEEEEEEEET or prime as Hann would now say I suppose. But- they can drop a beat:) ha! Oh mission. Ok. So! I'm back in the Hatch House which is kinda a lot crazy. 14 girls in one house. But! We manage. Our schedule is just insane right now. Isaiah 40:31. All I can do when I wake up each morning is pray to Heavenly Father and ask Him to please let me be able to get out of bed and go running. And please let me not fall asleep when talking to visitors. And please let me stay happy. :) So! He's been helping me out a lot in that regard. We have to be out the door at 8:15 and we don't get back until after 11. It's funny because we'll see the same people throughout the day all over Nauvoo and they're just like "where are you coming from?!?! you're everywhere!!!!" ha. But! It's fun to stay busy. And it's SO fun to have this many people in Nauvoo. I served at the VC (visitor's center) yesterday and I guess we had over 1400 people come through. Which is a lot. If you think about it. I am absolutely LOVING pageant. Sometimes I have to kind of give myself a little prep talk before I go out to greet or contact or whatever and just say over and over in my head "I love talking to people, I love talking to people, I love talking to people" because if you know me at all, a lot of times I don't like talking to people. Let alone, LOVE talking to people:) But! Heavenly Father blesses you when you are trying your very hardest, I know He does. And He has helped me SO much. And has given me so many good experiences. And I just know that there are SOOOOOOO many things that I can be doing better. So that gets a little frustrating. Because I just want to be wonder missionary right now and always know what to say to everyone and to do everything right right now. So- there is my need to work on patience a little more:) We have the elders from the Peoria mission coming in to help out with the pageant. They help us in getting referrals and what not. I've definitely noticed a difference in how we contact. The elders bless their hearts are pretty just "here's your referral card fill it out" and you know what? it works for them. But the VC sisters we are more about I guess you could say "buttering people up" before we slip the referral card:) K- that sounded kind of bad. What I mean is that. Ok- well here is my goal. I NEVER want anyone who I talk to to feel like the only reason that I talked to them was to get a referral. I want everyone to feel like I genuinely care about them. And I want to genuinely care about them. And I've noticed that as I've done that, referrals just kind of come. But it's just awesome. I can't tell you how awesome it is. I wish I could just bottle up my happy and send you some. Because it's SWEEEEEEEEEET! I mean prime. And the happier I am in the gospel- the greater desire I have to just share it with EVERYONE. Seriously. OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I totally almost forgot! I got your package on FRIDAY! So I didn't get to say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! Everyone was totally jeal. IT was the BEST packaged in the entire world. That is not even an exaggeration. I never exaggerate. Or lie:) Seriously though. It made my life. I've been wearing all those shirts. Everyone thinks they're way cude and wants to borrow them all the time :) Oh I just love it. Everyone thinks my fam is the coolest. Because they are. I can't even tell you how much I love you. Or thank you enough for all your support. Because you are just amazing. And I miss you lots- but it's really a good kind of miss. It makes me want to be a better missionary kind of miss. If that makes sense. So don't you worry your little heads about me. I'm doing good:) OH! Also! I finally got a letter from Cass which was sweet. And! I need Claire, Becca, and Kaiti's addresses to write them back because I don't think that any of them are at the last address I have for them. So! I love them- but currently cannot write them back:) LOTS O LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep it classy. Be good. Just- read the Book of Mormon everyday. And have quality FHE's. That's my "invitation" to you:) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

Sweet Headbands!

2009-09-03T12:06:00.001-07:00

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July 23, 2009 "I love to see the Temple!"

2009-09-03T12:05:00.001-07:00

OK!!!!!!!!! Well. I am just loving to write this e-mail right now. Yes- yes I am. Pageant is just insane. That's pretty much all that is. I love it though. Staying busy is fun- but it will tire you out. I think a big part of that is that I literally don't even have like 5 seconds to myself. I haven't even really had time to eat in the past couple weeks. So I just thank Heavenly Father for keeping me going. Because I know that I could never keep up this pace without His help. And thanks to that help I'm still able to wake up and go every morning as tired as I may be:) Oh man. I have like two sweeeet sweet stories but then I need to go so we can get to the temple. It's funny how prep days are always just as busy as any other day. ha. oh well. gotta love it. And I'm SOOOOOO grateful to be able to go to the temple each week. What a blessing. I was talking to one of the Peoria elders last night and they only get to go once every 6 months! And he just lives like half an hour away. Crazy bidness. So I'm grateful we are supposed to go at LEAST once a week. We usually go twice though. Anyways. Stories. So! First of all I'll tell you about the pics that I sent. They are of my new comp Sis Lukens and I. We were assigned to work in the "pre-show" for Pageant which is this big huge field with tons of pioneer-ish type games/activities/FUNtivities:) going on and we were assigned to the children's crafts. So- maybe our station wasn't the coolest thing ever and maybe we were a little tired and we just said "hey! you know what!? we are going to make this place the coolest place to be in Nauvoo" so what did we do? We had braiding as part of our little station where all you do is just braid rags together. So we put them on as headbands and started yelling at people to come braid with us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! funnest thing EVER!!!!! :) and it convinced them. And TOTALLY was the trend of the night. Pretty much everyone and their mom (literally) were wearing our headbands. It was sweet. So then we took pics when we got home. OH HAAAA!!!! and then when we were post-greeting we saw some of the Peoria elders and one of them said "what are you trying to be an indian?" and I was like "actually I am." and then just looked at him. I think he felt sheepish:) But then he just started spouting these weird facts about how I was actually wearing an irish bridal veil or something? whatever. He was weird. Is weird. Whatevs. SO! COOLEST THING EVER HAPPENED!!!!!!!! And I will just preface it with the fact that none of it was me. And I know that missionaries say lame stuff like that all the time and everyone thinks that they're just saying it to say it but I promise this time I am being for real- this experience had absolutely nothing to do with me. Heavenly Father just blessed me with it. So! I'm serving in the VC and in walks these 2 guys and their father. And they both had kind of scruffy beard things going on- so initially we all just assumed they were part of the Pageant family cast. Because a lot of them will grow beards. And those are the only bearded people you see here really :) So I went up to go and talk to them and Sis Aston came with since we're not allowed to talk to guys by ourselves (it just doesn't look good) and I totally assumed they were members of the Church. So we were going through the "where are you from?" "Alabama" etc etc and then I asked if they were here for Pageant. They had no idea what that was and said something like "is that put on by ya'lls Church of Christ?" or something like that and I was like "wait hold up!" and then we find out they know like nothing about our Church but had family who lived in Carthage and were on their way to some music festival in Minnesota or Michigan or something and just kind of stopped by. And oh my goodness. It was insane. Seriously best experience ever. So we were taking them through the tour and essentially got to teach the 1st and 2nd lesson and oh man. Their retention was just crazy. And they asked the best questions in the whole world. It was so insane. At first I was just convinced that they were RM's just pulling our legs or something because it was just way too perfect. They literally asked all the right questions. And the older brother is an archaelogist/anthropologist very educated person who really liked being told about the Book of Mormon. And the fact that I was Native:) ha! But what was SO cool was that he was telling me about how some of his professors have this theory that there was this huge "cradle of life" out here in the Americas and not just in mesopotamia and that everyone thinks they're crazy and I was like "HELLO! just get a Book of Mormon in their hands!" so he like asked us if he could get a copy and we're like "hello yes duh" but he was excited to read it. And then this is cool too! So they're southern, and have grown up around lots of religion but are probably the "most neutral catholics you'd ever find" so we're talking about Joseph Smith whom they hadn't really heard about and at first they're just following the story like "ok yeah he was born in 1805 so this vision had to happen in like the 1830's" and we're like "well actually he was 14" and then they just went crazy! "no way! he was only 14!" etc etc and then I was like "well are you very familiar with the Bible" and they're like "well kinda blah blah blah" and I said "well are you familiar with the story of Samuel?" and then the one goes "well yeah, because that is my name" DUH! so sweet. Well- first of all I probably should have known their names before I started the tour (my b) but so cool I just happened to pic the story that he knew! My point was in him hearing the voice of God as a child and that it wasn't unusual for God to appear to younger people but! he was able to relate. Heavenly Father is awesome. That experience just made my life. It is kind of hard, because we have experiences like that here and then just have to kind of pray that the missionaries where they are will be on the ball. But! Even if I never see or hear from the again, I am very grateful to have had that experience. Don't worry- we gave them the Book of Mormon and a bunch of commitments and they might be back through here on their way back? And referred them. But still. I just loved being able to teach someone like that. It doesn't happen often. And was such a tender mercy of the Lord. Because He knows how much I'd like to be doing that:) Oh I loved it. I LOVED it. So yeah. Sorry- now I'm way short on time. And I still need to write Pres and such. But!!!!!! I love you all. A lot a lot. Be excellent to each other. So I'm in charge of the t-shirts for the Sisters that they do every summer. And I think that happened because I was NOT planning on getting one:) oh how sentimental I am. But I'm thinking of putting this on them, ahem, "together we achieve more than not together" AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHA I don't know why- but Sis Lukens and I think it's hilarious. So- we'll see:) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

July 9, 2009 Melt like a popsicle on the 4th of july!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

Well. This week was pretty crazaay now that I'm thinking about it. Lots of fun though! Always fun :) So! Happy 4th of July! To be honest- we don't really get to celebrate that much because we're missionaries but! we had to make it a special day for our very own Brazilian, Miss Sister Granja! So! We coordinated with some of the seniors who didn't have to go in for a show and did a little bbq and even made her homemade ice cream! Which she had never had before! And we all wore matching patriotic colors to the jail. Admittedly- I was kind of lame because I didn't have any red clothing. Just lots of blue. Hmmm I wonder why that is?? :) So! That was lots of fun! Then! My wonderful companion was trying to clean a pan and thought it would be a good idea to try and "burn it off". I told her it was going to explode and blow up her face- but! whatevs. So then the next thing I heard was "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" that is a scream coming from the kitchen. The pan was on fire- so I said "don't put water on it!!!!!!!!!" then I ran in and our kitchen stove was just pretty much on fire so then I was like ok ok ok how are we going to put this out- by that time the fire alarms were going off and the Elder that lives next door ran in and threw the lid on the pot which stopped the burning flames from engulfing our kitchen. Fun experience. Fo sho. So then! Let's see what else. Elder Neunschwander (sp?) from the 70 came into town for the Pageant. So we had dinn with him at President's house on Sunday. Then afterwards we had to sing him some of our sociable songs. Have I even told you about this sociable thing? I forget. Well- what it is is a big fireside we put on where we pretty much try to be ypm's. Can't you just feel the excitement pouring out of my soul at the prospect? I am also accompanying for one song. OH bleh. Oooh blah. Isn't that from jimmy neutron? Ok. What was I saying. Oh yes. So! First- Elder N (we'll call him that) TOTALLY falls asleep while we're singing, which is HILARIOUS :) hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahha But then we sing this song that is approximately 2 octaves higher than any of us can sing- so we try to hit the 1st note and it totally wakes him up and his wifes face was probably the funniest thing I've ever seen. That song is horrible. But! The thing is- regardless of what we sound like pretty much the entire audience will be senior missionaries and temple missionaries- so we could really sing whatever we felt like and they'd still say it sounded amazing. HA! I love it:) SO THEN!!!! The exciting moment arrives! PAGEANT STARTED THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!! So a bajillion people are here. We had 700 people go through the jail yesterday. Which is a lot. Every night we have to come in from Carthage to help greet and get referrals. It's fun because it's a time when we can actually be like missionaries and contact and what not. They even have Elders come in from the Peoria mission to help get referrals since a lot of the non-members in the area will come for the show. So! The first night of Pageant was on Tuesday and apparently every year it threatens to rain. Well- let me just tell you. It did not only threaten- it POURED! And Sis Barry and I were assigned to be contacting out in the pre-show (the pre-show starts @ 7 the pageant starts @ 8:30 so at the pre-show they have a whole bunch of fun pioneer-ish things to be doing. yee yee) So! It starts to just downpour and we both had on white shirts- go fig. So then we were running all over the place trying to find a sweater and we bummed clothes off of other sisters and then just kept talking to people in the rain. If anything- I hope it made them happy to see us looking like crazies :) But we tried to keep people there for the performance! And we talked a lot about faith and how God answers prayers :) It's fun to talk to the people because every conversation we have HAS to come back to the gospel- because we're missionaries. So I think sometimes people will think you're crazy in how you try to bring the conversation back around to Church. But! That's what we do ok! Transfers are on Sunday which is CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So! We'll see when my prep day is next week and where I end up! I'll be sure to let you know! I feel like I still have a billlion things to say- but I gots lots o stuff to do today! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!! You have no idea. Seriously. I love me some family. And I miss you. But it's a good kind of miss. Be good! Love you!

Sister Picard

July 2, 2009

2009-07-09T13:37:00.002-07:00

Well- to be honest, I'm fairly tired. Writing this e-mail just isn't sounding super exciting to me right now. So! I'll try and make the best out of it. And make my life sound super duper exciting :) I've driven too and from Nauvoo a bajillion times already today it seems like. Lots of car time. But- you gotta do what you gotta do :) So! What is most exciting about this past week you may ask? I will tell you what is most exciting about this past week. The commemoration of the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith took place on Saturday the 27th. So! All of last week we had lots of people in. On Saturday I- just me- took 200 people through the jail. That's crazy talk. Esp since we were close for an hour and a half during the commemoration ceremony. But! What an awesome experience to be serving at the jail on the day of the martyrdom. Just 165 years after:) I had some sweet tours. Heavenly Father always gives me reasons to be happy. I really felt blessed that day to be able to be serving a mission at such a special place. I was able to give tours to a couple of big youth groups which I always love. One of them had over 60 people. This may not sound like a whole lot- but you would only think that if you've never been in the jail. It's a tight squeeze once you get over 20-25-ish. But! We did it. At the end of one of the tours they asked to sing A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief- and that was pretty sweet. And I was so blessed to be able to have the energy to keep it up all day long. And it was a bajillion degrees outside with a bajillion percent humidity. I'm not even exaggerating. But! I think I've become impenetrable to the differences in temperatures. It's just always hot. And you just kind of have to learn to deal with it. Here's this for weird- I'm so turning into mom. I like clean stuff up all the time. And I'm always having to be doing something. It's weird. And I LIKE budgeting my money? Whaa?????? Weird. And I'm just obsessed with grocery shopping. It is the highlight of my existence at this point. And I plan out all of my meals and exactly what I'm going to buy. I'm just turning into a weird kid. And I obviously have nothing more exciting to write to you about than any of this:) haha Let's see- what else is going on in my life? I'll tell you what has been difficult for me. I do the same thing every stinkin day. Literally. Every day. Same thing. And it is SOOO easy to just turn on auto-pilot. I have the whole tour just memorized. So I could say it in my sleep. Literally. And probably throw in some quick witted jokes even :) But! It's SOOOO important for me to really care about each and every person that comes in. Heavenly Father gives people the opportunity to come to Carthage for a reason. If they're prepared it can just be an awesome experience. And I need to make sure I'm doing all that I can to make sure that they get the experience God wants them to have. But! I've learned at the same time I can't MAKE people feel the Spirit or give me referrals. That would be Satan. So- a lot of it is just trying your very hardest all the time (which is way hard esp if you're tired or don't particularly enjoy everyone on the tour etc etc) and knowing the God will do the rest. I'll come home a lot of times and wonder if anything that I did that day did any good. Or even if my mission is important at all. And I just have to trust that God called me here for a reason. And just keep trying :) I'm sounding really negative. I shouldn't. There are TONS of awesome things that happen to me everyday. Seriously. Like- these sweet people totally bought us Subways one day. The senior couples at the jail make my LIFE! They are hilarious I tell you. We went to the store today with 2 of the senior sisters and I just LOVE them. And there are always families that come in that I can really connect with that make it so much better to be alive and giving tours:) The CUTEST little babies came in yesterday. Their dad was from Nigeria and their mom from Idaho and they were just SOOOOOO cute. I loved them. I didn't get to take them on the tour- but they're my friends. And they're coming back next year! So I'll be sure to look for them :) So! Conclusion of the story is to just be happy. Today I was happy when a sweeet song came on at Wal-Mart and I got to dance to it. Slightly apostate- but it made my life. I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE you! I a) can't believe you got a trampoline. b) won't resent you for not having one throughout my whole life at home c) will enjoy jumping on it when I go home if I'm not too old and decrepit by then d) hope that you all were cruisin in lovin memory of michael jackson and had some kind of dance party for him, I would expect nothing less e) asked reggie miller to come back and play with my boy baby ty h. what a sweet combo for the pacers huh?:) f) I assume dad was talking about blake griffin when he said that the "robotron-mutant from oklahoma" got drafted first g) want to watch the new transformers with daniel h) hope that rubbing a monkey paw on dad's head will get rid of his dot. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

June 25, 2009 "We got the beat"

2009-06-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

OH HEY!!!!!!! So- sweet day sweet day. My life is just sweet. I wish I could just really express how sweet it is- because then everyone would want to go on missions. And if everyone went on missions- well that would be awesome. OK! So for crazy! We went to the temple this morning and you will never even guess who was in the session? Jennifer Funkhouser from the ath dept!!! Crazy. Business! She is here receiving her endowment! And what are the stinkin odds that I would just happen to be in that session!? I don't even know. Heavenly Father loves me. It was SOO good to see her. Totally made my life. Also made my life today. We went to the temple with the Nauvoo sisters who have prep day and a bunch of the single senior sisters and then they took us out to eat after!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! I am ALL about that right about now. And it was seriously the best place in the WHOLE world. Well. In the world I exist in right now. It was SO cute. It was this little bistro/cafe way cute place. It kind of reminded me of the co-op. Food was TASTAY! I had a veggie sandwhich with HUMMUSSSS!!!!!! I haven't had hummus since I've been out. I was in HEAVEN. Oh. Heaven. SO good. And I'm obsessed with the senior sisters that took us out to eat. They are the coolest. Literally. I'll tell you more about them later. Because I love them. Favorites. But I only have a few more minutes. Sorray. Ok. So! What else is sweet? I'll tell you. My mission. Ok! This is a good story. This is probably the best. So! My new comp S Barry is an ASL sister. And I don't know ASL. So it's hard for her to get in language stuff. But! I have been picking up some stuff! Regardless- she does language studies every day. She's so good. But! There was a deaf family that came in yesterday and we TOTALLY gave the tour together. It was AWESOME! I gave the tour and then she interpreted it while I was speaking. It was intense yo. But! Everyone in the whole tour understood. It was just amazing. You could just feel Heavenly Father helping us. Because half the tour was deaf and half wasn't. But it just all worked out. We've been trying REALLY hard to get more referrals. S Barry is just killin it. I'm so proud of her. She's so awesome. And she's such an example to me! Just know- that whenever you go to a church history site or something- just give the missionaries referrals. Because you should be doing missionary work anyways. And that just helps it a long:) I LOVE being at Carthage. I LOVE when families or groups come in really wanting to have their testimonies strengthened- because they will. No doubt in my mind. The Spirit is SO strong here. People will even just comment on that walking on the grounds. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the feeling of knowing when the Spirit has come into the room. And from that point on it doesn't matter one bit what I have to say, it's just purely the Spirit testifying to each individual of what they need to know. I LOOOOOOOOOOVE THAT! It's just awesome. I don't even know what more to say- besides AWESOME. I have to admit it is kind of hard sometimes to really care individually about every single person that comes into the jail- especially since SO many people have been through lately. And it's hard with big tours too. I just really want everyone that comes in to feel important and appreciated and loved. And to have a good experience. And to have their testimony strengthened of whatever it is that they need. I just love it. Man. I just love it. I don't even know. So what if I'm kind of redundant and sound way missionary-ish:) Heavenly Father truly will bless you to do all the things He needs you to do when you are really giving it everything you've got. I just feel so blessed always. Always always. And I LOVE having E Picard and S Clive out with me. It's such a strength just knowing they're out there too. And I KNOW that they're just awesome missionaries. Oh I know it. I need to go pretty quick here- I'll try and get a better e-mail in next week. We're kind of pressed for time today. But! I just love you. Best. Family. EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep on with the keepin on. Keep doing missionary work. It's good to hear about those efforts:) And- if you want to drop me a line- SWEET. Well- I suppose a letter? Whatevs. I'll be looking for the pics. I'm EXCITED! Hahaha. I just love everything! And I'm just so excited about everything! Except ok! It is stinkin hot outside by now. So we go running at 6:30 in the morn. It was already in the upper 80's at 6:30 in the morn. hello! And like 80% humidity. I was dying. I got done running and looked like I had just stood under a showerhead for 5 minutes. But- I suppose that's how it goes in good ol Nauvoo. Well Carthage. Whatevs. I actually like the heat. I've been trying to sit out in the sun in between tours to work on being brown and greet the people coming up the walk. For some weird reason I'm kind of about the humidity? Who knows? I will tell you that I have a sweet farmers tan and even a tan line from my danskos. Try not to enjoy that last part too much Hann. Don't be jeal. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

BEES KNEES....... June 19, 2009

2009-06-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

WOOOO!!!!!! Ok. So! Lots to talk about I think. First of all- transfers mean I'M STILL IN CARTHAGE!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Gotta love it. I really do. But I love Nauvoo too. So- both favorites. But I'm really glad I'm in Carthage. I have a SWEET new comp named Sis. Barry. She's AWESOME! She's one of the ASL sisters. So that's lots of fun. She always prays in sign- so I have to watch her pray so I know when to say amen. Which I do in sign language. Yeah- it's pretty sweet:) I have to admit- while I'm writing this letter if I do seem a little less coherent than normal- I didn't sleep very well last night. We had this AWESOME storm last night. Which I thought was sweet- except for that I couldn't sleep at all because of the lightning and rain etc etc. Well let's see- what else has been going on. I think that a lot does- but then I sit down to write and then I think that I do the same thing every day:) We were SUPER busy the other day. We had about 300 people come in approx 2 hours. That's crazy business. But the big tours are fun! I just get this adrenaline rush like "there's a bajillion people here and they need a tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I need to give them one!!!!!!! and it's going to be AWESOME!" My favorites are when we have youth groups come in. We had a big group of seminary grads from UT (go figure) come in at that time. I was able to give two of the tours and I LOVED it. Admittedly- I got a tad emotional in the martyrdom room in one of the tours. But- cut me some slack (wow- lame term. sorry- I'm a missionary. more slack to be cut please) that was the first time I've ever teared up in the martyrdom room. And it was in front of 30+ high school students. SWEET! I just thought of Hann and Gus and I just wanted them all to have this insane experience where their testimonies would just grow a ton particularly about Joseph Smith. And the beautiful thing about that is that when your testimony of Joseph is strengthened so is your testimony of the Book of Mormon and of this as being the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and just pretty much everything. So! It's the way to go! And! These kids are all about to go on missions or college or big deal status stuff and I just want them to all have good strong testimonies and I wanted to help facilitate that. That's all I ever want. To just do and say what Heavenly Father wants me to. So! All I can do is just try to be good/obedient, read/study like CRAZY, and really try and love and care about the people I come in contact with. I'm trying to think of what else I do? It's been getting pretty humid out here. I actually kind of like it? It's only gross when I go running in the morning- then I come home and have to like peel off my clothes because they're so sweaty. Sick. Which I'm sure you wanted to know. Sorray! OH! I know. We do funny stuff still. Don't worry- I'm not too lame. Or maybe I am lame and just think lame stuff is funny? So- as you may or may not have known- our last name has Star Trek implications- aka Captain Picard. My lovely Brazilian Sister Granja happens to be a trekky- go fig. So she always calls me Capt Picard. Well- she doesn't- maybe Sis Capt Picard because that's more white handbook approved :) And then we pretend to teleport ourselves different places by pressing our nametags instead of whatever it is they apparently do on the show. So..... Sis Granja and I were the only ones that stayed in Carthage everyone else got transferred. So all the new Sisters came in and same us randomly press our nametags and then appear across the room... they thought we were crazy. But- yeah. That story sounded cooler in my head. Really I just try to make up stuff to make me sound cool. Don't worry though. I still work it. I wear my "do work" bracelet every day to make sure that I remember how sweet my family is and to... do work. I think of lots of funny things in my head and then start saying them to sisters- sometimes I think my humor is under appreciated. I also like to sing all the random songs that pop into my head. I know that every probably just LOVES it:) Well- the moral of this e-mail is to do missionary work! Every member a missionary. The gospel is the sweetest thing ever- and everyone needs to know about that. Thanks to Aubs for her SWEET letter! And I got a letter from Sis Enser too which made my life. And my bff Kendra! Oh and Becca! Man- good letter week I suppose:) OH AND GUSSY!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELLO!!!!!!!! Sweetest brother ever! Totally sent me one of those new gospel art books. Sis Granja was drooling over it. She said I'll use it every day in the outbound. That brother o mine is inspired I tell ya. And! Rachelley is officially in the MTC! in ENGLAND! Crazy crazzy. I'm SO excited for her to be a little sister mish with me. Good times all around:) Well! I should probably get to gettin. I love being able to go to the temple. It's the best. ever. period. yes. LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

June 11, 2009 "I love to laugh...ha ha ha ha!!!!"

2009-06-11T14:07:00.001-07:00

So! I was really questioning the love of everyone in my life- because I hadn't gotten mail in a looong time. Or at least it felt like it. Really it was like maybe a week and then!!!!!!!!!!! I TOTALLY HIT JACKPOT TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woo! yee yee! Even DANIEL wrote me- man. That just made my LIFE!!!!!!!!!! And I got letters from Aubs AND Rachelley and they're two favorites. And! I got Julie and Ryan's wedding invite which ALSO made my life. MAN. Life. Is. Good!!!!!!! SOO GOOD!!!!!!!! And my little Rachelley is totally going to the MTC today! Crazy! I'm so excited for her though. She is awesome- she'll only be the best missionary in quite possibly the whole entire world. YES!!! I'm just happy. I can't get over it. Shood- I'm kind of a dorky missionary huh? But honestly- the mail just made my life. I just kind of want to sit here and bask in it for a mo :) Welp. Let's see. What has been going on in my life? Pretty much same old same old. I just do work. Transfers are on Sunday so that's really exciting. I'm excited to see what happens:) So! Next week my prep day will change. So e-mail may be on a different day. And I could be back in Nauvoo? Who even knows. We shall see though:) We had our President's interviews yesterday. President Ludwig is just SO inspired. It was good to be able to talk to him- and I got a lot of really good advice that put a lot of things into perspective. It's so SWEET how Heavenly Father just knew how much I needed to come on a mission. So I would stop being such a big time loser face:) There are just SO many ways that I need to be improving. I have really tried the past few weeks to be obedient. Not that I wasn't before- but just making sure I'm in bed EXACTLY at 10:30 and waking up right at 6:30 and getting a full hour of study in etc etc. And that helps. It really allows Heavenly Father to bless you in ways you never would have thought of. I think that it would surprise you to see how I would react to different situations now compared to before my mission. Let's just say I've been working a lot on my favorite... PATIENCE!!!!!!! :) But it's all good. And I just LOVE being at the jail. I mean- people literally spend their whole lives waiting to come out to Carthage- and it's up to me to make sure they have a good experience! Oh my cute! We had this adorable big ol family from Miami come in the other day and I LOVED giving them the tour. They were very receptive to the Spirit. You can definitely tell the people who come wanting to have their testimonies strengthened- and realize the sacred place that Carthage is. As opposed to the people who come in all hurriedly, keep looking at their watch, and expect you to hurry up and give them a tour in 5 min. It's like "ok- seriously? you have driven a bajillion hours all the way from UT- carthage is way the heck out of the way- you came here on purpose- and yet you only allotted 5 min to be here?" whatevs. I need to get over that. Because everyone still deserves a good experience- and the opportunity to feel the Spirit. But I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO badly wanted to speak Spanish to that family! It just about killed me. I was dying inside! I came back after the tour and just sprawled on the couch and told Sis Parker how my heart literally hurt to know Spanish and that it's the deepest desire of my soul. Perhaps only slightly dramatical? :) hahaha I love the Sisters here. They are STELLAR! That's S. Morgan's word she uses all the time. STELLAR! I'm STELLAR! You're STELLAR! We're all STELLAR! I just love her:) She makes me happy. Let's see. We had Zone Conference on Sunday. That was pretty sweet. My throat starts hurting a lot at the end of the day. Too much talking. I'll probably come home a mute. ha:) Wouldn't everyone just love that? I try really hard to not have a "missionary voice." That is one of my #1 goals. And to not say "ummmmmmm" or other filler words. We had a big group of Seniors who had just graduated from high school in UT come through. I think that was this week? Not sure. That was a fun tour though. I was just like "Hi I'm Sister Picard I'm from Rapid City SD (yeah that's right I claim north rap- sorry if I hadn't told you yet. weird. I know. I figure it gives everyone a little flava flaaaaaave. not from ut) and I'm brown because I'm Native American. I'm taking you through the jail now." AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ok I didn't say it like that- but maybe I did. But it just sounds funny to think about. Well! I should probably wrap this sucka up. Although I know you just love hearing from me so much. It probably makes your life. All the time! Oh ps- mom. LOVE the creeper chart. Also- I may be slightly apostate and when we stopped by the grocery store I SO wanted to look at all the Jon and Kate magazines. So how about you just read them and tell me about them? It's kind of a big part of my life. All those cute little babies. CUTE BABIES!!!!! We totally had a family with a bunch of adopted kids come in and they had a couple of little black babies I about DIED they were SOOOOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!!! That made my life that day. Heavenly Father is great. He always makes my life. Somehow. Everyday. And today it is especially made. Because I hit the stinkin motherload with mail. My life ROCKS!!!!!!!!!! That's right. I just said my life rocks. Well- because it does. K- I'm really done for real now. Oh I know! I can't get ahold of a conference Ensign. They're always sold out at the bookstores in town- so if you could get one to me- that would be great. A legit Ensign though;) AHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are the coolest family ever. Word.

Sister Picard

June 4, 2009 A rendezvous in old Nauvoo

2009-06-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ok. Well. I just have no idea where to start. It seems like I've just been running around like a chicken with my head cut off all day today. Too much to do. And too little time. But! Now I'm e-mailing and I actually enjoy doing that for the most part. OH I KNOW!!!!!!! So the weather here has been pretty spastic as of late. It's been really stormy or really sunny. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the rain. Everyone else has gotten sick of it, but I like it better every day:) I love big storms. We've had a couple of severe storm warnings and the like. Not as intense as Gus's MTC flu epidemic. That stinks for him. I'll be praying he still gets out when he's supposed to. I love rain. I love rain. Let's see- oh! The chorister from the home ward came to Carthage. I was jeal that she had seen all of you more recently than I had!!! I miss you guys sometimes:) That was fun though. Oh I know! So! On Tuesday we had the busiest day we've had since I've been at Carthage. I took 5 tours just by myself. I know this may not sound like a lot, but consider that each tour takes around 45 min or more- it's intense. Two of my tours had over 30 people. One of them was a Church History tour of high school students who had just graduated. It was fun. I think I saw all of the Hollister fashions for the upcoming summer:) HA! It was fun to see people Hann's age. And I like giving tours to the youth- and really helping them to feel how special Carthage is. Because they honestly won't remember a whole lot about what I tell them (even though I just say it so dang classy:) ) but! they will remember how they feel. And it's my HUUUUUUGE responsibility to help facilitate their experience there. A lot of people wait their entire lives to be able to see Carthage. I so appreciate the people that come really wanting to feel the Spirit and wanting their testimonies strengthened. Not only does it strengthen their testimony, but mine as well. I LOVE it!!!! People crying in the Martyrdom room is just music to my ears:) But I've actually been able to hold it together fairly well. I haven't cried in a tour yet. I probably just jinxed myself. But man the Spirit is strong there. And it's been SO neat to see how the Holy Ghost can work through missionaries. There are times when I totally have no idea what to say and then I just start talking and it all comes out good. D&C 84:85. BIG TIME. That is my life. Trying to study and prepare myself enough so that I'll say what I'm supposed to. So! I was just thrashed after that day. I didn't want to talk for a looooooooooooooooooong time. No jokes about me not talking please:) My throat hurt. But! I haven't lost my voice or anything- so I just keep on talkin;) knock on wood. I'm trying to think of other fun things I do. Pretty much I just give tours all day every day except preparation day. It's been so important to focus on being a missionary and not a tour guide. Because it's very easy to just know the script and tell the people what they have to hear about the scripts and what not. It's completely different to try and make them want to gain a stronger testimony or to be a missionary. I just want everyone to have the gospel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone. That's all. That's all I ask in life. For everyone to be as happy as the gospel makes me. Then life would just be goods:) Oh- big time blessing. I haven't gotten sick of running on the track yet. I still make everyone wait for me to be done running in the morn- it's fun though. It's a good way to start the day. I think everyone is starting to like running more too. Which is good. I just have to tell you- there is one Sister out in Carthage with me- Sister Granja she is from Brazil and she is SO fun!!!!!! We have too much fun together. We're the only brown sisters- so we pretty much have to:) Oh I just love that little Brazilian. haha There was this crazy Elder - senior elder- who is just crazy. And admittedly kinda bugs. But one of the first days we were at the jail he talked to both of us independently but we had similiar experiences. We had both just been transferred out to Carthage so we didn't know him before. And he may or may not be but definitely is a know-it-all. People in their old age... whatevs. So he came up to me and was like"You're polynesian"and I replied "no actually my dad is native american and my mom's italian but I do get that a lot"and he goes "well you're polynesian""um, no I'm not actually....""well you look polynesian""well I'm not""so you're polynesian"
ok. dumb! and then later that day to Sis Granja- and we'd actually JUST been talking about how people will think they're all smart and say "Sister Gran-HA" because they think she's hispanic but she's not. Pronounce j's in Portuguese. Anyways- here was their encounter.
"So you're Sister Gran-HA" (ok and ps I was sitting there the whole time just about dying. DYIIIIING)"No- actually it's Sister Gran-JA""No- it's Gran-HA""Well actually I'm from Brazil and in Portuguese we pronounce the J""You see it's called a "jota" in spanish and you don't pronounce it "j" you pronounce it "h" so it's Gran-HA""ok..............."
(ps Hann- it's an oversized hat. it's funny)
CRAZY PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is crazy. They just went home though. Good riddance saloon-y. That's what I say. Oh well. The other seniors I serve with are SWEEEEEEEEEET! Elder Reber played football at the U so we tease each other all the time about our "rivalry". It's good to talk football sometimes too. I figure it's not too apostate. Gotta do what I gotta do. And all the other Seniors are just so sweet. They really are SO nice. I love it. But! I probably should get to gettin. Need to go up to the temple. GET to go up to the temple. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it! And I love all of you. Stay fly. Have a great summer. Without me. I can't believe it's June already. That my friends- is CRAZY. Crazy. I most definitely am not ready for it to get hot. Or bugg-ish. I HATE the bugs. Pray that I don't get chiggers. I think I would just die. Literally. If I knew there were bugs in my skin. I'd just sit down and cry. Oh sick. OOOOOH sick. I just thought about it. Ok- well. Good bye for reals. I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sister Picard
PS- I really appreciate the letters- they literally make my life. I am not over exaggerating or being the slightest bit dramatical. They. make. my. life.

2009-05-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

May 28, 2009 "I'm just doin my thang"

2009-05-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

OK!!!!! So- where to even begin? I don't even know. I'm sorry I'll try to get in as much detail or cool things as possible. I spent a lot of time just sending pics- so try and get those up on the blog or whatevs so the people can see them! Then I won't feel so bad about a lame e-mail :) Ok- so! I've been out at Carthage. SWEEEEEEEET! Carthage just makes my life. It's just so good there. The tour is awesome. And oddly enough- I get worn out when I do lots of tours. Don't hate- it's hard work. Emotionally/spiritually draining I think? Who knows. So last week was pretty intense emotionally- and what that means- is that I, yes I, got a little emotional:) I had just gone through transfers and new comp and all that bidness and then my bff Sis Enser was actually sent home for medical reasons. Serious- BFF. Until I was transferred we had been with each other EVERY DAY of the mission. Crazy huh? So it was hard to not have her with me all the time because I love her. So- hopefully everything works out the best for her- because she is just an AMAZING girl. AMAZING! So that was that. Let's see- on Sunday we had to listen to this historian talk about Abraham Lincoln at the sociable (devo/fireside) It was probably the most boring thing of my life. Half the YSM's (young sister missionaries- that's what they call us:) ) were asleep which means approx 80% of the seniors had to be sleeping :) hahahahahaha Oh! I totally have a YPM bff now. Not sure what his name is- but I actually talk to him. HAHAHAHAHAHAH ok so he is the only one that ever figured out we were lazer-pointering them and he told me that for days it just drove him nuts because he couldn't figure out what was going on. And every once and awhile he'd just have this red light in his eye (ooopsies- no blindness) and he thought that it must be coming from the relief map we have of Nauvoo or something because that's how the one in SLC points stuff out. But then he'd always look at us and be like "oh no, the sisters wouldn't be doing anything" Oh contrare mon frare! (however you spell that) AHAHAHAH so I cracked up about that for awhile. Then he called me a Lamanite and I found out he's a halfie like me too- and one half is even Italian! So- I figure he's ok to talk to. Also! On Monday we had this family of Poly's come and dance- it was SWEET! They've been here for the past weekend doing shows. One of the boys did a hoop dance- everyone's always wanting to be all Native:) They came to Carthage the next day and I got to give them their tour!!! It was so fun! I LOVED it! There were 22 people. They had lots of cute little brown babies. And the girls had like all been on missions- and it just made me happy to see pretty, successful, rm girls that were just so cool. It was good to talk to them. And the dad was hilarious. I was joking around with him the whole time. I told him they needed to get a real drum and a real indian to sing if they wanted to keep doing the hoop dance:) they just had this plastic drum thing. HAAAAA!!!!! ok awkward. They had a son who goes into the MTC in a few weeks and the dad was like "ok- now you get in a picture with my son" and I was just like- "hmmm well ok this is not awkward at all just pretend that it's not weird that I'm a sister missionary and I'm just in a picture with their almost missionary son that's totally not weird ok just well ok smile!" ha. funny funny people. I just loved them. They reminded me of just good happy family-ness. Which is what my family is ALL about. :) I LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Joseph Smith. I've been just a little book worm while I've been out at Carthage. They have a library that we're authorized to read from as missionaries. ONe of the Elders asked me once if I ever stopped studying:) I just LOVE to find out more about Joseph and Hyrum and the early saints and what exactly happened there because we get so many questions. My favorite book so far has been Joseph and Moroni by Legrand Baker I think? It's goods. I just like to know that Joseph went through difficult times too. He couldn't just magically one day translate the Book of Mormon or just magically start receiving revelation- he had to LEARN how. And that took a looooooooong time and lots of effort on his part. Heavenly Father will always give us opportunities to learn and grow. And any trial we go through- is going to be for our good. And teach us lessons we NEED to learn. So hopefully I'm not a dumbie and have to re-learn them a billion times:) Well! I need to go. Bleh bleh. Sorry not a better letter. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Make sure and write to Elder Picard- he needs some lovin these last few MTC weeks. I LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

May 21, 2009 Carthage

2009-05-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

So! It feels like it's been weeks since I've written! Maybe because it has been a long time or something? Officially- what I'm sure you are all dying to hear- is.. that.... I GOT TRANSFERRED TO CARTHAGE!!!!! yee. So I'm officially there this time. I've been there 3 days. I don't think there will be any changes. It's pretty sweet. Obviously my prep-day got moved to Thursday. I got a new comp- Sis Reece. She was in the MTC with me. She had been in Carthage the previous transfer. I have to admit- I do miss my Nauvoo Sisters sometimes!It's crazy in that house with 14 sisters- but I really did love my comps. And there are just amazing sisters there. But! There are amazing sisters in Carthage. This transfer will be a good one. Things are starting to pick up a lot out here. And the Carthage tour is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shoot. The Spirit is so stinkin strong. Everywhere you go. Especially in the Martyrdom room. It will like melt your face off. Or it just gets hard to breathe sometimes. I don't even know. And most of the time I just feel so inadequate and I don't want to ruin it for the people I'm giving the tour to. I really want everyone that comes through to have their testimonies strengthened in the ways that it needs to be. It's been harder for me to try and get referrals at the Jail so far. But that doesn't mean I'm not trying. I try to really give people the stare down when I ask for them... make em feel all guilty ;) ha! Just kidding. Maybe a little. Well okay. So! The other day I was giving a tour to a mom and daughter who were non-members from the area and it was AWESOME!!!!! So good. They wanted a Book of Mormon. And I committed them to read part of it. And tried to get them to have the missionaries over. It's just hard sometimes too because we had to give tours in companionships the first couple days. And I'm used to just doing tours by myself. So it's good to learn how to give tours together and work WITH each other and not against. I just so BAD want everyone to just get baptized. Or refer someone. That's really all I want in life. hahahaha What a dorky missionary huh? Oh well. That's what I'm about. And I know that no one believes me when I say it- but giving tours is hard work when you're busy. And it's hard to try and focus on the needs of the group that you are taking through when you've only been able to speak with them for a short while and you have to know what to say to them and what to bear testimony of. I pretty much just pray in my head the entire time just hoping I don't mess things up. It can be kind of draining. I do love it though. Life is good. Mission is good. There was a tour that I took through with a ton of little babies in it- which I loved:)- but the kids have a hard time focusing a lot. But they all just quieted right down the entire time we were in the Martyrdom room. It's just amazing. Oh I love it. SO GOOD! Ok- so. What else is up. Let me just think about it. I just feel crazy. And kind of out of it? Change always kind of does that I think. We stay in this sweet old Victorian house in Carthage. There are 6 sisters and 4 senior couples. I'll have to try and get a picture of it next week. Ugh. These YPM's are all up in my grill while I'm trying to write. They can't shut up I tell you. Well- I'm happy to report I am being a lot nicer to them. Mostly the guys. The girls are a little too drama still. But- I should probably only say nice things. I've been dragging my comps/roommates to the local track every morning. Pretty sure they love it:) It's been hard not having my running buddy Sis Brinkerhoff. But- it's fun to be able to run by myself kind of... since I just have to have other sisters at the track with me. I'm still trying to get used to not listening to music- and not singing apostate songs in my head while I run:) Shoot! What has even been going on. Shut up please miss annoying ypm. Ugh. My head hurts. Oh! Susan Easton Black has been here and has been speaking to us a lot. She actually came to our district mtg on Sunday and gave a lecture on Patriarchal Blessings which was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love her. And my title is a tribute to her. She always says "well okay" and then starts in to whatever she was going to say:) I'm just trying to make the most out of every day. And even when I have to clean the urinals at the Carthage Visitor's Center I just say in my head "I love my mission... I love my mission... I love my mission..." and that's been fairly effective. One of the Elders in Carthage played football at the U. We don't hate each other- but it's good to have someone to talk sports with every once and awhile. I saw an article in the church news or mormon times or something (I think it was outdated) about football and my heart hurt:) It's ok. I just feel like this e-mail is weird. Sorry to disappoint. I'll try to make up a really good one next week. Super good one:) Tell Cass that his letter will make my life if he ever gets around to writing it...:) and that we get a lot of people from Kansas up here visiting! Tell Aubs that I got her letter and have been DYING to write back- but it's been awhile since my last pday. I love everyone. I really do. A lot. Some more than others. hahahaha LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

2009-05-12T16:17:00.001-07:00

ok- so one of my comps had the stomach flu and then I needed to stay home half the day. so what did I do? took a picture of myself. workin my bow. that's riiiiiight. I still wear them. all the time. ha!

PICT0091.JPG
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Bricklayers

2009-05-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

this beautiful picture my love my mtc comp sis. morgan! we got to work together one day at nri. and what did we do? we layed some stinkin bricks! yee. we did work. seriously. work. and yes I wore my sweatshirt hood like that all day. because it was raining outside and cold. and we kept on doin work. man- that day was intense. but so good!

Wishing Well

2009-05-12T16:14:00.000-07:00

me in my pioneer dress "wishing" :)

Companions

2009-05-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

these are my COMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yee

May 12, 2009

2009-05-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

ok wow. I'm really sorry but this may be on the shorter side! I spent a lot of time trying to send out pics of me lookin all fine in my pioneer suit:) But! I'll try to make it good. We are going to the 10:00 session at the temple so I need to be done soon! By the way- my mission? THE BEST! Why? Because we get to go to the temple EVERY STINKIN WEEK! And a lot of times more than once a week. I'm just obsessed. I always have been. It's just so good. Tell Rachelley I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited she is going through the temple! Or already has? I'm writing her a letter. Oh man- it's so good. Ok. So! Where to even begin? I am not even sure. The schedule here is getting a lot more routine for me. I'm starting to adjust. So of course transfers are next week:) Unlike most missions- we have transfers every 4 weeks (or once a month for those of you who like math:)) ha! So we'll be finding out on Sunday our new comps. And I could possibly be out to Carthage again- this time more permanently:) Things are definitely starting to get busier around here! I've been giving a lot more tours at the VC- which makes me SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!! Giving tours just makes my life. Especially the part where I get to invite people to either accept missionaries or to refer one of their friends. It's just so good! I love it. The Spirit is always there (I pray for it like CRAZY the entire tour) and it's just so.... I don't even know. Real or something. It's kind of scary every time too- so I like feeling like I'm brave. Hahaha. Oh! I need Colie's address. Also! I got the package and everyone was WAY JEAL!!!!!! My family's the bomb.com! (favorite saying mom:)) and I'm SO excited to have my temple clothes today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been telling everyone about it. yes. And my comps and friends appreciated the cookies mamasita- so apparently they tasted good. I didn't have one yet- but I stashed them in my secret stash in the freezer. I have to do that or they will get eaten up. You can't leave ANYTHING sitting out in the kitchen. Or it will be eaten. One day I had popcorn for dinn and I had to go upstairs or something- I don't remember. But I SO was not even done eating my popcorn by then and when I came down like 30 min later- GONE. Oh sisters. So that's fun. Oh yes! Yesterday I had dinn with some SWEET seniors. Dean and Kathy Hughes. Sound familiar? They're pretty much famous mormons:) She was in the RS General Pres and he writes Children of the Promise books and such. They are the PR people here- so needless to say- I have always loved them! And Elder Hughes and I got on a little tangent about BYU football while we were there- haha- I don't think anyone else really appreciated it but us. Oh well. I need to talk sports every once and awhile or I'd probably die. I just LOVE my mission. I'm just happy all the time. Well- maybe not all the time. But I'm happy. If that makes sense? I don't know. I'm trying to not hate the YPM's so much. I don't hate them. I more just hate on them. If you know what I mean. YPM=young performing missionary. They're the ones in the play and such. So- this is probably really not good of me. But they just annoy me sometimes because they're always in the theatre practicing so I don't get to show movies to my visitor's and blah blah blah and yeah. So certain Sis that I love (I won't name names so that they can't be blamed:) ) well let me just say this- we have laser pointers we get to use on tours. And the YPM's come out of the theatre every once and awhile to do stuff. So we may or may not play this really fun game of laser pointering the YPM's. AAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAH oh man. I pee my pants every time. Because a) it's just funny b) they can never figure out where it's coming from c) we try to look inconspicuous (sp?) but we're really bad at it. So AHAHAHAHHAHAHAAh ok so one of the Sis (there are 3 of us) was doing it yesterday and this boy YPM just like finally turns around and yells "STOP!!!!!" like he just didn't even know what was going on but it bugged him and she goes "don't you EVER tell me what to do" AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH oh man. that story still gets me. And then we had to have an ice cream social with them on Sunday night after Susan Easton Black devo which PS- she is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She gave a fireside about women in Nauvoo which was amazing. She focused mainly on Mary Fielding Smith which was awesome because we don't hear about her very often. And I LOVED it. And she's amazing. And yes. Ok- so the sociable. I came up with the brilliant idea that all the Sisters we should sing everything that we said to the YPM's. You know- to try and relate to them..... or something. And so I was singing something I was saying and one of them was like "wow, you should try out to be a ypm next summer!" or something like that. totally serious. I about busted a gut. But you know- you need to have fun on your mish. Or you'd go crazy. And maybe it's that I'm already crazy? Who really knows. But do know that I take being a missionary VERY seriously. I just want to do what Heavenly Father needs me to do. And He is going to prepare people for the Gospel and prepare members to have friends who need the gospel and it's my responsibility to help them. And that responsibility is HUGE! And I just feel very inadequate most of the time. But ! I know Heavenly Father will help me as long as I'm trying my hardest! Send my love to Gussy! Sorry I didn't get an e-mail just for him- maybe dearelder him this? And get the pics up on the blog too- Aubs' been dying for my pioneer pics. That means you Hann- mom I don't think will know how so teach her. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be good.

Sister Picard

Pretty Purple Pioneer

2009-05-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

the pioneer dress in all it's glory. out in front of the brigham young home.

Sister Picard & Sister Enser

2009-05-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

this is sis. enser and I. it's coming from that ugly angle that makes it look like I have no chin- we tried to have sis take it from a better angle but to no avail. she was sitting down. at least you can see the pretty flowers at the VC!

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Greeting From Nauvoo May 8, 2009

2009-05-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Nauvoo!

We’re sorry this has taken so long, but Nauvoo is getting very busy as we ramp up for the summer activities. We are so excited to have Sister Picard with us. We anticipate that she will continue the tradition of excellence that is part of the young sister missionaries that have served here over the years.

We will do everything we can to make this a tremendous experience for her. This will be a busy summer and she will have the opportunity to share her witness of the Gospel hundreds of times over the next few months.

We have included a few pictures that we took outside the Temple and here at the mission home.

Again, thank you for sharing your wonderful daughter as she faithful serves the Lord in this most wonderful part of the vineyard.

Love,

President and Sister Ludwig

Picture # 1 They had just finished pulling handcarts through mud and were told to be in front of the Temple in 30 minutes. 12 Sisters needed to shower, so Sister Picard washed the dirt off pulled up her hair and was there on time. I knew something was up when I got the picture, she always looks beautiful but I could tell she hadn't put much time in front of the mirror that day. I was very proud to hear the story and her concern for others to get cleaned and ready, she would be fine with a washcloth and could shower later:)

Computer Problems :( May 5, 2009

2009-05-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

(We got three different emails from Sister Picard because the first long message didn't deliver)

please oh please bless that this e-mail actually went through. If not- I'm starting to try and write another version of it in approximately- 10 min. Ugh. Dumb computers. The comps here are super duper slow. Dumb. Ok! So! I've just been doin work. Pretty much all the time. I've been working a ton in NRI. We pulled up and washed a bunch of these big ol rugs that are in the sites in this big bathtub looking thing with these scrubber brushes. That was pretty sick. Then! I got to learn how to lay brick. That's right- official professional bricklayer status right now. So when I bring my kids to Nauvoo in whenever I'll be able to say "look at them bricks your mama layed" yep. Sweet. Then! Yesterday I was supposed to be working in the VC so I got all ready for the day (which does mean that I put on my make up and showered and tried to fix my hair after we went running in the morn) and then! I'm here for a mo and then we got a call saying they wanted me down at NRI. So obviously my reputation proceeds me:) And I had to go paint fences. So I painted one whole stinkin side of the Lucy Mack Smith fence yesterday. I did work. And I'm sure I got brownie points with Lucy Mack:) Ok- and ugh I'm so super frustrated I wrote this super sweet e-mail and it's going to bug if it didn't go through! Ugh. BUT! This is the best story of my life- and that is. Do you remember those people I gave a tour to the other week and they watched the Joseph movie and I had them fill out a referral card? well- THEY ARE TOTALLY TAKING THE LESSONS BY NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes- that is the best news of anyone's lifetime. And it just made my life. And I did a total happy dance whenever I found out. And I have absolutely nothing to do with it. I just want them to have the Gospel in their lives SO bad and that's SO the truth. I know it's sounds cheesy or whatever but I promise- I just want everyone in the whole entire world to know about the Gospel so that they can be as happy as me! And that's all that is:) The temple just opened back up so I'm REALLY excited to be able to go today. Yesterday we went after NRI- paint in our hair and everything:) I got to serve in the Brigham Young home on Saturday and that was my first time in a home so I wore my stylin pioneer dress. Dang- I look so fly in that thing. But I just love it here. And I'm super sorry if my longer e-mail didn't go through and this is all you have. But I love it. I LOVE it here. And I want you all to be praying for missionary experiences. And I promise that as you do that, Heavenly Father is going to prepare you and also give you the opportunity to help His children:) it's SWEET! I love you. A lot a lot.

Sister Picard

Other things that I'm loving about Nauvoo by now. All the senior E. They are all like old farm guy manly men. I love LOVE listening to them talk. It makes my life. And I try and talk like them every chance that I get. I also just love the senior couples- they make me feel so loved. Things I'm not loving so much by now- the "young performing missionaries". I'll get over it though. Right now I'm really working on having Christ-like love towards everyone:) I think I'm really funny- and I really loved my e-mail that I sent you all- but I'm just way mad it didn't go all the way through. Stay tuned for next week. I'm going to find my camera cord and get you some sweet pics of me rockin the pioneer status. Also! THanks to Aubs and Kaiti for the letters- you make my life worth living:)

my comps are still writing so I will write more. Painting the fence yesterday- I made a friend with a bumble bee. He was kind of annoying. I named him Bumble. I made a deal with one of the E. that when he gets this harness he's having this Amish guy make that I get to go down and RIDE THE HORSES! I don't know if that's legit- or even allowed- but I'm planning on it one of these pdays. The horses here are HUGE!!!!!!! And I'm going to talk like all the senior E. "giddy up them there horseys" It's gonna be SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! Also- let's see what else goes on. My bed is the top bunk. I almost killed myself this morning getting out of bed. I was just like looking over the side or something- but I hadn't put my feet down yet...... and I felt my equilibrium shift.. and I started falling.... and then my life flashed before my eyes:) I love running here. It's so sweet. It's SO pretty in the morning. I'm not terribly excited for it to start getting warm. Or for the bugs. I hate bugs. Especially since I'm brown- so they think I'm a tree and try to land on me:) ahahahahahahha. I just love preaching to people too. I love tours. I LOVE tours. I love bearing my testimony so much. It's such a unique thing to this mission I think. It's sweet. Everyone makes fun of me and how much oatmeal I eat. Whatevs. They're just jeal. Please just know how much I love you..... and how much everyone should just be a missionary all the time. Gospel is TRUE! and I love it:)

Oh Hey!!! April 21, 2009

2009-05-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

oh hey! so- I bet everyone is just dying to read about my life. It's almost been a week- and it feels like I've been here FOREVER! Which is not necessarily a bad thing. But sheesh- time is definitely not flying- although I would say that I'm having fun:) SO! I got home I mean I did not get home after I was done e-mailing we went to dinner at the Mission Home with President and his wife. While there, I found out that I was actually NOT going to be serving in Carthage- but was getting moved back to Nauvoo. So- I piled up all my junk yet again (what a nomadic lifestyle those first few days :) ) and headed back into Nauvoo! Which is good good good. Our house here is SWEET! It's pretty big- well it would have to be there are 12 girls living there. 3 bathrooms. Kinda crazy in the mornings. But! I LOVE my companions! I don't know if I had ever mentioned Sis. Enser in any of my previous e-mails but she was in my district and we were roommates in the MTC. She is my companion and our trainer is Sis. Brinkerhoff. There are more sisters coming in (11) then there were returning (7) so there are some companionships with three sisters. I LOVE them! Oh man- they are just so chill. And Sis. Brinkerhoff has been so nice to us. And she is a health freak just like me! We just are all about our oatmeal and veggies together. And we've been running every morning. Which is SOOOOOO good. There are some sweet runs here. Admittedly- I'm still kind of trying to get my wind back- there is a definite difference between running on a track at the MTC and running outside. It's pretty hilly here. I love it though. Especially in the mornings running by the river- DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!!!!!!!!! ha. So yes- it's been SO crazy crazy crazy busy. I don't even know. I'm kind of lost as to what day it is or what time it is. haha- I'm in this weird missionary space time continuum? OK- so! Last I wrote was on Wednesday I believe. On Thursday we went on a handcart trek they have here that goes around in the "woods" so we did the Thursday morning. It was pretty sweet. I'm like SO pioneer status. Veteran handcart pusher. I've been on a billion treks by now. Ain't no thang. SO! I just pushed that cart all up and down them hills. It was funny Sis. Enser and I were pushing a cart together (and supposedly Pres. & Sis. were pushing with us- not.) And there was this part that was just mud. I mean- mud. So we're like- "we got this" and just pushed straight on through the mud. Mud up to our calves- up the hill. We were laughing SOOOOOOOOOO hard. Oh it was funny. So then! We had district meeting like right after and there were 18 girls trying to get ready in our house. I just washed my face and feet. I figured I was good :) haha- I bet that kills mom:) THEN! We went to the Temple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH man. Coolest temple I've ever been in. Might be a new fave. Oh it's AMAZING! And so beautiful. I love it. I LOVE it. So that was awesome. And they actually just closed it for cleaning for the next 2 weeks so we were lucky to get a session in. Oh which reminds me- I can still rent temple clothes for free here- but they really encourage us to have our own. Which they failed to tell us- or I would have brought mine. So madre- perhaps we should figure out a way to get them out here? Koot-noo! Ok- so then! On Friday we went on the wagon ride around Nauvoo which was fun. Then we had training. Then we went out to Carthage- which was so good. I really am excited to serve there. When I actually get to:) The spirit there is awesome. And it brings back a lot of memories of when the fam has come to Nauvoo to visit. Actually- pretty much everything does. Which reminds me- could you send me the pic of dad and the girls in the Family Living Center in Nauvoo? It's baby sleeping on dad- me looking like a tool and hann looking cute and we're sitting on a bench. OH and PS!!!!!! I got your letter in the mail yesterday with all those pictures in it. Everyone kept talking about how attractive my family is- I was like "duh where'd you think I get it from" I got it from my mama :) HA! Ok sorry tangent. Ummm where was I? OK- OH yes. Then we just study all the time. And then Saturday we went to ALL THE SITES IN NAUVOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh stink that was a long day. loooooooooong day. They wanted us to see how everything will work though- which is good and I appreciate it but man. I'm surprised how worn out you can get from just going to sites. But we were bookin it. There is a LOT to do here. And! We got our pioneer dresses (which I'm including a picture of- not on my body- I don't know that I love you enough to send that yet. oh sick. ) Ok- so then on Sunday we went to church at the ward that is for all the visitors that are in Nauvoo and also all of the missionaries - us and the Senior couples. I guess in the summer time they have to open the cultural hall and chairs are even on the stage it gets so packed. And as the young sister missionaries (ysm's for short..... trespassers will for short :) ) they have us actually sitting up on the stand. HA! That was fun. Now I feel for all those people that have to sit up there and try not to fall asleep- because trust me we were all so wiped out. And church is at 8. So I sat there recited D&C 4 in my head to keep me awake :) Then we had lunch at President's which was fun. Then we went home- oh and PS! All the senior missionaries just spoil us to death. We have had SOOOOO much sugary goodness brought over to our house the past week. And I've been good about not eating it- but it is ALWAYS there. And everyone always wants to feed you desert wherever you go. So after President's we had our district mtg at the Horan's house (SUCH a cute couple! oh I love them) and they had made us dinner and Sis. Enser & Brink & I just looked at each other like- "we can not eat anything right now" but we tried. And then they just kept pulling out more food. And then they wanted us to eat this blueberry cheesecake so we're finally like "can we just take our pieces home? we're really full" and they gave us the whole thing. ha! But the other two sisters in our district are single sisters and they are SOOOOOOOO cute!!!!!! Oh man! I love me some old people. I just love it. Serving with senior couples is where it's at- for real. OK- so then. I just have to tell Hann because I almost forgot but whenever we were driving around there are all of these Pres. Lincoln signs everywhere so in my head I'm always like "Land of Lincoln!" but if I were to say it aloud no one would laugh. Name that movie! ALSO!!!!!!!! There is a main road here named Mulholland St and EVERY TIME we drive on it I always thing "Christomer.. Mulholllan" "bed and breakfast, bed and breakfast, bed and breakfast" and then I start laughing and once again no one gets it. Alas! SO! Sunday afternoon was my first time working in the sites. I have been at the Family Living Center. I was there yesterday as well and will be there almost all week. It's really fun. It's the place where you get to see spinning and breadmaking and ropemaking and candlemaking galore!!!!!!!! :) It's fun though seriously. Except I am in my pioneer dress all the time. WOW. That's a humbling experience let me tell you. Yesterday this family came in with girls our age and like our sisters ages and they all looked so cute and we just felt stupid. Oh well. Vanity is a bad thing I suppose. And I'm DEFINITELY being humbled :) ha. Oh but yesterday was so fun! We had a couple of pre-school groups come in which was SOOOOO fun! I loved seeing all the babies! And it's so funny because when we're done we're supposed to ask if anyone has any ?'s so I'd ask and they'd raise their hands and be like "my grandpa uses a screwdriver" "is that sheep real?" "I'm the smartest" but this one girl was like "do you know what?" and it reminded me of darla on little rascals so I said what? and she goes "you're really pretty" so that made me feel better about my pioneer status. Although- she is a little girl- so I don't really know :) But yeah- that's what I've been up to. Goodness I'm tired at nights though. Especially after yesterday. Because when we weren't giving tours we were tying quilts for humanitarian aid or making rugs for the sites and houses or sorting through literally a freakin TON of fabric that was donated to the church for humanitarian work. SO grateful for my dansko's and that comfort and support. HA!!!!!!!! Oh yes- and could you perhaps also send that one pic of Grandma Teddi laughing at the picnic? Sorry I'm so demanding with the pics. If it makes it any better- I'm now going to try and attach pics so you can see me in my mission glory :) I love you all SOOOOOOOOOO much! Please dearelder this to Gus and tell him that I'm sorry I didn't write sooner but I just haven't had my pday till today so that I do really love him and miss him and I know he's being an AWESOME missionary!!! woo! K- love you all a lot a lot! OH! And tell Andrea Dean that her e-mail was AWESOME! Just what I needed- and if you could get her address I want to send her a letter. MAn- I just love those Dean's. Probably the coolest people ever :) K! LOVE YOU!

Sister Picard

k- so pic #1 is my pimp suit- aka my pioneer dress. #2 is Sis. Morgan and I doin work at the Referral Center. #3 is my district!!!!!! at the MTC- we walked to the temple on a Sunday. oh yeah it was snowing. bleh. and I am wearing a marshmallow coat. so cude. #4 is my favorite picture from the MTC. and I HATED taking pics. I plan on just getting them from everyone else when this whole mission business is over:) but seriously- this is a district of E. who were on our hall and were going to Australia and Canada. So we'd see them all the time and do teach and be taughts with them and we saw them at the Temple our last Sunday which was also their last Sunday and they wanted a picture with me so missionary pics are just weird and awkward because no one can touch each other and I'm not even sure how this picture happened- it just did. and I think it's HILARIOUS. But yeah! You should be proud I'm willing to send pics at all- I am lookin pretty nastay in all of them. But what can you do? I'm sure you miss my sparkling personality- are you shriveling up and dying yet? ;) haha

April 28, 2009

2009-05-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

OK- so I really do not even know where to start on this e-mail. I really am in this weird I don't even know what day it is or whatever thing. But! I do know that it is my preparation day- and so that means yay happy e-mail writing times she comes. Ok- so my trainer S. Brinkerhoff is a beast at running- she pretty much kicks my little tush (well big tush) everyday. Every time. And today was no exception. We went for like an hour long run all through the hills of Nauvoo. Ok- and who even knew that Nauvoo was so hilly? HILLY!!!!! (wasn't that baby's imaginary friend? Don't let her read that sentence. Bad things could happen.) Regardless- I'm a little worn out right now I think. But it felt GOOOOD. We've been running a lot in the rain lately- which I LOOOOVE. If you all remember my affinity for rain- well there have been some sweet rainstorms while we've been here. Kind of reminds me of SD. Which oddly enough- is where I claim as home here. But- it's the last place I lived the longest. And I can't say UT- I can't do it. So apparently it's been flooding bad there? I have no idea. But people keep saying that when I say I'm from Rapid and I'm like "oh yeah........... real bad...." SO! It's been insanely slow here as of late. It's the lull in between Spring Break and people coming after school is out. And it is HARD to stay focused all day in the Visitor's Center. I have read a LOT lately. SO I'm pretty much a church historian by now;) jokes. But I do get a lot of study time in. And from what I here when it starts to get busy, we won't even have time to eat. There can be up to 2000 people coming through the VC in a day. Crazy. Admittedly, I was/am having problems with not feeling like a "real missionary" because they get us so geared up at the MTC to go out proselyting and then I come here and maybe give one or two tours a day. But you know what- it's hard. It's hard to be able to just flip the "on" switch and immediately bring the Spirit. It's hard to speak to people after I've been reading for the past 3 hours. And it's SO hard to be able to find out a persons needs after only speaking with them for a few seconds. BUT! There are experiences that make everything worth it. There was a non-member couple who came from St. Louis just to "check out Nauvoo" and the man had read a little about the church but the woman was unfamiliar. They happened to walk in right as I was about to start Joseph Smith:Prophet of the Restoration Movie (ps BEST MOVIE EVER! I'm obsessed with it these days. And maybe am developing a crush on Alvin... I dunno. Must be a mission thing. :)) So! I asked them if they'd like to join in on the movie- they said yes. And then! The woman was crying when they came out! And I could tell that they both were touched by the movie so then! I gave them a tour of the VC (which only takes 10-15 min) and focused a lot on Joseph Smith and the things that they had seen/felt during the movie but most importantly I really wanted to focus on the Savior because I think that sometimes in Nauvoo the missionaries will only testify of Joseph or the Saints or things like that but we are the church of Christ and I've also REALLY been trying to focus on testifying/extending commitments/promising blessings BECAUSE! missionaries just don't do that here. And I am going to. Because that's what I do. So I was just praying so hard the whole time to know what to say to them so that they would feel the Spirit and that I would be able to say the things that Heavenly Father wanted me to because I get SO concerned especially when I have opportunities like that because I don't want it to be my dumb fault or all of my inadequacies getting in the way of people coming to Christ. Ok- wow. I'm sorry- my grammar and what not is so bad in these e-mails- alas:) Ok! So we are coming to the end of the tour and I played the Christus for them and the woman was crying again and quoting all of the scriptures that Jesus says :) And I just loved it. I loved being there. And it totally made the past few days worth it. And I didn't even want to say anything because I didn't want to ruin anything:) But I just told them that they had felt something special while they'd been here- and that was the Spirit telling them that the things they had been hearing are true. And that although we do love the Prophet Joseph and appreciate all of the things that he and the Saints did, they did it all because it was the will of God. And that this is Christ's church. And that more than anything we believe in a Father in Heaven who loves us and wants us to be able to live with Him forever. And that is the purpose of everything that they had seen that today. And then I gave them a referral card and told them to fill it out and that missionaries would come over and talk to them. :) So I'll never know what ends up happening- but it was a good experience regardless. And it's kinda sad I don't get to follow up- but! I'm over it. All I can do is pray for them now. So! Like I said it's been way slow here comparitively speaking so they have us working at "NRI" which stands for Nauvoo Restoration Inc. The purpose of NRI is to keep Nauvoo lookin good:) So we've been working at NRI a couple days a week. And what do we do you may ask? Well- we chip paint and paint fences. And wear REALLY cool looking paint-jumpsuit-ghostbuster looking things. And EVERY TIME a senior walks by they say something about Tom Sawyer. And you just have to sit there are be like "oh man- so good. every time. you're so funny!" Probably be what Dad is like when he's old. And he'll think he's telling everyone the funniest joke in the world:) ahahahahhaha yes. OH I KNOW! So! I was able to go and serve in Carthage on Sunday because sometimes we'll go and rotate S.'s out on Sundays. Let me just tell you- I am SOOOOOO STINKIN EXCITED to actually serve out there. It was funny because the senior couples were like "you're back! why'd you leave!" :) Oh man though- Carthage is where it's at. Seriously. And I only got to help with tours with my companions- but I'm really excited to be able to do tours by myself. Which- ps- hello- is the best thing for me ever. We give all of our tours by ourselves. And that makes my life. Not that I don't love my companions- it's just different than teaching. I think teaching with a companion is a whole lot easier than trying to give a tour with a companion. And Heavenly Father just made me love speaking in front of people:) ahahahhahaahhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. wow. Welp. Gus sounds like he is doing great. Just keep up the good work man! Make sure and forward this to him or dearelder him or something. I want to be writing more but dang it gets hard on pdays. The temple opens back up next week so I'm SOOOOOOOOO excited for that! We've only been able to do one session. Oh yes- and that was lots of fun this past week all of these cranky people yelling at me because the temple is closed for cleaning. And I just wanted to say- "ok dumbie- why did you not just call and check before you came. who honestly just thinks they can walk up to the Nauvoo temple and do a session? no one should- because everywhere there is anything about the Nauvoo Temple it says you have to make a reservation. And dumbie- if your WHOLE ENTIRE VACATION (waa waaaa wambulance) was based on going to the temple- did the thought EVER cross your mind that perhaps you should make sure it was open? no? oh. ok. continue yelling at me then" :) yeah- I'm getting pretty good at just keeping my thoughts in my head. and trying to smile on the outside:) We had an awesome "sunday sociable" (that's what they call firesides here) and afterwards these crazy people came up to S. Morgan and I and were telling us how we are on the "easiest mission in the Church- do we ever even do any work? do you feel like a real missionary?" etc...etc...etc... and S. Morgan puts up with less poo than I even do so THAT was a fun experience trying to not go crazy on them. Oh they were nuts. They needed a pile drive to the face. Ugh- you don't even know. But just so everyone knows- VC missions get a bad rap- but it's HARD work. And there is a reason that every mission pres in the Church wants VC sisters on our outbounds. Just sayin. Well! I don't know how much more I can write. Oh yes- family. I'm sorry I'm not better about the whole letter writing business. I PROMISE I try to get them off asap. And I try to be detailed in my e-mailing. So I'm trying to give you a good idea of what all I'm doing here. And you have NO IDEA how much I love getting all of your letters. Every one here is convinced I have the sweetest fam ever. Well- because I do. Yes, I do. So I love you all immensely. I hope Daniel got my sweet (ok admittedly I had another word written there but I'm trying to mish edit) card I sent him for his bday. Also- Hann. You do work sucka. Like everyday. I just got that newspaper article of you lookin real good runnin :) hahahahahahahahahha got a good lil chuckle. Also- Baby- you are the smartest of all of my brothers and sisters and you are the best drawer in the land. AND! Maybe we should go to India on a Disney cruise? Also- I'm excited to see pics of Daniel's mooo-stache:) AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Also- WAY excited to see pics of Hann workin it a prom yo. Dang- she'll be lookin so fine:) I love you mom and dad- thanks for being SO supportive. Everyone is jeal of how many letters I get from home. It really actually helps me to stay focused hearing from you so often. And the pics have been AMAZING! My new favorite picture ever taken is of me and baby playing vsmile. Man it's sweet. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE you. And I'm so proud of all of you. Esp Gus- because I KNOW how mish life is at least a little bit and I know he's working his hardest and that the Lord is going to bless him. And that the harder he works- the more people's lives he'll have the chance to bless because Heavenly Father is going to trust him :) (which is something I'm really working on now:) ) yay. ohana means family. ok wait funny. I love how we all call each other sister and brother at home just kind of oddly like we do and now I have to call people that all the time. ha. ok I'm done. peace.

Sister Picard

uhmmm TODAY! aka 4.16.09

2009-04-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

To My People-

I love you A lot. Also- I feel really weird having so much contact with you in the past few days. Prep day was just on Friday. I got to speak on the phone with you yesterday. Here I sit writing you again :) I actually hope that you could get this BEFORE being in Provo- but alas. How did things go at the MTC? I'm sure that everyone just loved being there again:) Gus is going to be an AWESOME missionary!!!!! YAY I'M SO EXCITED!!!!! Missions are so where it's at these days. Oh wow. I just don't even know where to start with my life- because I know you're just dying to hear right? Right. Ok- so since my last letter I have done a lot of stuff- cool stuff. First of all! I went to Temple Square on Saturday with the rest of the Visitor's Center Sisters. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!K maybe that was enough exclamation points- just maybe. Ok- so! We arrived at Temple Square and were paired up with S. who were serving there. My S. was from South Africa and I LOVED her. Oh wow- she was the most gorgeous S. ever and she was SUCH an amazing missionary and I know that Heavenly Father put us together for that day. I was able to learn so much from her. It made me so excited to serve in a VC- even if it would have been Temple Square. We were able to give tours and talk to people and oh man- it was just the best. It was raining all day but I was just happy there were still people to talk to! People who got to listen to me - ahahahhahahahaha. But seriously- it's never me- it's always the Spirit. By myself I would just sound like a know it all who was lecturing to anyone who came within the sound of my voice- hahahaha. OK so I did just love everything about Temple Square and it got me SO excited to serve here. So then Tuesday was the big day I left for Nauvoo! And I was able to talk to you- which made my life :) Except I only missed Daniel- well I still love him. And I really liked in Hann's letter how it talked about him doing his "flow" dance at the gym. It sounded like it was pretty legit. In fact, perhaps even too legit. I don't even know if he reads these letters- so to condense just tell him that he is my favorite littlest brother. And I hope he is still keepin it classy- everyday. And that I love that little Prince Ponichello (yeah I pulled that one out of memory lane- I don't think you pull things from there- but I can't really think of a better way to describe that.) Ok- I'm getting off topic. However- I do get longer for e-mails. Which reminds me! It would now be okay if you want to let peopl e-mail me at this address. Just know that I can't e-mail back. I can only e-mail immediate family- and I will stick to that rule. But still send me letters please! They're more fun because I can read them over and over and over and they make my day happier :) And then I get to write SUPA SWEET letters back. That's right. Ok. So! We flew into St. Louis (I just said looey) Ok but first! Ok so all missionaries just are all about sitting by non-members on the flight and baptizing them by the end of it but me- yes I love to preach the gospel but also! if any of you have ever traveled with me before you would know that what do I do anytime I'm in any kind of moving vehicle? Oh yeah- I pass out in like 0.2 seconds and am asleep the whole time. That way I don't get sick. And it makes the time go by faster. And whenever I flew out to Aubs there was a lady that just sat there and talked at me for like 2098402398423 hours and I was so sick I thought that if I even opened my mouth I would spew all over her (good word huh? :) ) Regardless! Anyways! Whatever. Ok- so! Everyone is sitting by another S. except for me. I sit by this guy- who looks as though he is our age. And then it only helps that this lady (who is a member) who is sitting behind us on the flight leans over the seat (slightly awkwardly actually now that I'm thinking about it- what am I talking about it was hecka awkward) and says "so you gonna convert him before the flights over?!?!?!?!?" and I was like- thanks you old crazy person- that was a really great segway into what? I don't know what. What should I say now? Thank you. ughh crazy person. So I was like "ho ho ho- you are a crazy" and then tried to be normal to the guy sitting next to me. So I did start talking to him and tried to be as normal as my missionaryhood allows me too. Inevitably we were talking about the gospel even before the plane had left the ground. His daddy is a pastor- so he was very familiar with his religion- which was good because it made for good conversation. He had a lot of questions- and I HOPE that I answered them sufficiently. He did tell me that if nothing else- at least he doesn't think Mormons are weird anymore:) and that he liked how similar our religions are- and that if the missionaries came by (he is in the ROTC at his school and I guess they're always knockin at the dorms or whatevs) that he would probably be more apt to let them in! So! No baptism (sorry old crazy lady) but! I felt like I was able to bring someone closer to Christ. Which is my purpose. And he gave me a piece of gum (which I don't think technically I'm supposed to chew) but! it helped me to not get motion sick. So I didn't spew on him :) So! That was fun! Oh yeah! And it was fun talking about the Air Force and planes and stuff like that. It was insane to me how similar the military and the Church are. So hopefully one day he'll just make that easy jump from military life to church life :) But it was just good- good experience. And then! The whole mission presidency came to pick us up! Oh goodness- they are just all so nice. Wow- that sounded cheesy- but it's true. I especially love the Williams, they drove us back to Nauvoo. CUTEST couple. And President and Sister Ludwig seem awesome. I actually have my first interview with President in just a minute- but I may be able to come back and finish up e-mailing. Oh yeah- so they picked us up and then took us out to a buffet. Bless their hearts- but I'm SO not about buffet eating- particularly after being in the MTC for a month. So I had some salad I guess and cracker packets. Ok that made me sound like a brat- I'm not. I just couldn't eat anything. Maybe I just should have left that part out of the story. Dang it. Oh well. OK- so then! We FINALLY got into Nauvoo and then we got our assignments. I am one of 6 sisters serving in Carthage actually. The other 12 are in Nauvoo. I feel good about it though- I'm just not with any of my sisters (the four of us that have spent 24/7 together for the past month :) ) but! It's good for me. I went running this morning and it felt SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good to actually run outside. Except when I ran past this meat place or something with a bunch of cows. That smelled like death. But oh man! Ok our house?!??! It's SAWEEEEET! The senior sisters said we'll never have anything close to it on our outbound mission. The house in Carthage is a mansion that was donated to the Church (mansion old time speak- like the McConnell Mansion in the 'scow- so a nice sized house) And there are 2 apts for the sister missionaries and we also have a senior couple living with us. The house is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUDE!!!!!!! It reminds me of my house in Provo. Oh cude. And the senior couples- oh man. I love them already. Except there is one couple that went to Utah and as soon as they found out I went to BYU they went on and on about how Utah is better. Whatever. I love the crazy old people. And I didn't even argue. Thank you to certain people that we all know of (hann you kno what I'm sayin right now- you know) I am pretty prepared to try and love people who hate on me about my educational choices :) And I just got back from my President's interview- it was AWESOME! I just keep knowing more and more that this is the place I'm supposed to be. We got to go on a wagon ride this morning around Nauvoo- it was so good. Everything about here just makes me happy. Seeing the horses made me happy. I love them. I don't even know why. I just loved the horses. And! Then today we went to the grocery store and got food and supplies and I was the only one who came in under the amount of money we had on our card. A significant amount under actually. Take that- BAM!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to mama for always bein so cheap :) Well- we have a dinner tonight with the Presidency which I'm excited about. I'm just happy. It was so so so so soooo good to see the temple. We get to go on Thursday and that is what I am looking forward to more than anything! Well I should probably go- but I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited for Gus to be able to be on a mish too- it's awesome :) Can you get me his address? I'll just write it to the MTC right now. I love you all a whole lot!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for being my family :) Tell Baby that I tell EVERYONE on my mission how smart she is. She is the smartest.
Love- Sister Picard

April 7, 2009 email (still at the mtc)

2009-04-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

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

email from march 31, 2009!

2009-04-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

The fam in front of the mtc!

(and here's the letter folks! : ) )

ok- so I'm sorry if I don't get time to e-mail back individually- but know that I love you and that I would want to but as of right now I only have 28 minutes to write! Which may seem like a lot- but doesn't end up being when you actually sit down to do it :) In other news- I have a paper cut like a super intense one of my finger and it's hurting to type. I keep like randomly hurting myself. I also have this big cut on my arm from my missionary study journal? yes- weird. Also- sorry if I have bad grammar or don't use caps when I should- I'm writing FAST!!!!!! Ok! AND! Thanks to everyone to wrote me! You have NO idea (well unless you've been in the MTC I suppose :) ) how much it makes my day when I get letters! So thanks to the friends and fam who wrote- you are numbear won (like nacho voice) Ok ok ok- so! First of all- I forgot to tell you that we got to go to the Draper temple dedication last week which was AWESOME! They just broadcasted it to the gym here at the MTC. How many people can say they went to a temple dedication while at the MTC? Pretty sweet:) Also- as much as I am honestly enjoying myself here- I would probably die if I had to be here for forever. The rest of our zone is going to Bulgaria and they've been here NINE stinkin weeks!!!!! oh bleh. I would have died from the food alone- which honestly isn't too bad if I just pick it out myself. Imagine lots of salads and peanut butter toast and grape nuts and fruit :) OH yeah- and when I get salads there is this one girl who always tells me that people who get feta on their salads must be classy. That's a choo choo chalay and a .... class aaaaact :) Actually- everyone from our zone is leaving next week! Which is nuts. Then we leave the week after! Even MORE nuts. But we had fast and testimony meeting last week since conference is this week (also in the MTC- should be SWEET!!!!!!!) and there are only like 16 people in our branch now so pretty much everyone had to get up and bear their testimony ;) but I did! And I bawled- which is embarrassing. But it was good. I essentially said how I am the type of person that likes to do things my own way and not rely on the Lord sometimes, but that I'm glad that He knows me well enough to have known how much I would LOOOOOOOOVE being a witness of Christ- even if I didn't know it :) And I can honestly say- just being a missionary for as long as I have been has been SO good for me. For instance- I tend to get annoyed with certain types of people sometimes... whaaa? who? me? of course not. Regardless- while I've been here I've felt my PATIENCE increase- ha:) as well as not getting as frustrated with stupid things that may happen. Which is crazy- but I like it :) It's nice to be able to just be a happy go lucky missionary just preachin the word :) and I do really think that you learn to love people quicker and more. And I'm SOOOOOOOO excited to be able to get to Nauvoo! And actually start teaching REAL LIVE PEOPLE! and wearing pioneer clothes of course. Even if no one else seems to think they're cool. Whatevs. I'll still be ballin. Ok also! I do not even speak that rezzafab or anything- but apparently I do. Because! There was a guy in my district that said I speak like Randy from American Idol. I have never nor will I ever call anyone "dawg." It must just be because I'm brown. They all just want to be as cool as me I suppose..... :) But- I have been wearing my "do work" bracelet when I miss the fam. Only the cool Elders like it :) Also! this is an oddity of the MTC- your first name is like SO secretive. Like it feels really really really weird to ever let anyone know your first name. And it feels really really really weird ever finding out anyone's real first name:) ha. Or you find out and you just can't imagine ever calling them by that name. Anyways! ALSO! This ... interesting Elder (who once told one of my Sisters that he "liked how she combed her hair") told me I looked like Gabriella from HSM. Also- that is not true. I said he should see my little sister. Then I took it back. But then I thought "what? I'm your twin!?" Ok so this was cool. Shood I don't know if I'll have enough time- ok well I have a couple stories from the RC (referral center- that's where we call people on the phone) Ok- so FIRST story! First of all- they have the english speaking missionaries in there ALL the time talking to people. So we're in there 4-5 times a week. Ok so this is my first story. So I'm calling people- and I call this man named Leroi. Leroi is SO cool. He has this southern accent- but like a black southern accent- so he was fun to talk to. Ok so I was asking him if he'd received the Bible that he'd ordered and he said yes and everything and then he was talking about how religious he was and he is! He knows lots about the Bible- so then I was trying to work in the Book of Mormon and how he should join our church blah blah blah haha jk well not really but turns out he already HAS a Book of Mormon- not even quite sure where he got it from. But he said that he didn't really understand it but that "no inanimate object was gonna get the best of him and he was gonna understand that book" and I was like- yes you are Leroi. Ok so THEN! Stupid phones in the RC totally hangs up! and I FREAKED out!!!!! like big time! And I had my hands up in the air and I was like "someone I need help I need help help me help me!" freak out status. So then I somehow attracted the attention of the teacher :) and he got me special permission to call Leroi back so I did but then when I did it just kept ringing and ringing and I was like "oh no. I was JUST talking to you. I KNOW you are there Leroi" so then I was freaking out more because I HAD to talk to him. He was like SO going to just join the church and everything. And he was so cool. ok- so I sat there just calling and calling for like 10 min. and then..... HE PICKED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH I FREAKED OUT! I really did. I was like LEEEROI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you're there!!!!!!! And he was all "you hung up on me- so I went to get the mail and talk to the mail man" ha- so ANYWAYS! Then we got back to our gospel discussion and the missionaries are going over to see him and he's going to be reading certain things I gave him the Book of Mormon and then when I was getting his address I found out he was from Memphis so I asked if they were still in the tourney (since I did not know- thanks though to daddy for giving me a little update. I need those you know) and so I got to talk ball for just a second with him but yeah! I'm calling back next week to make sure the missionaries met with him and talk to him more. He was AWESOME!!!!!!! oh it made my day. And then yesterday! I get on the phones and they had to have shown a commercial because a bunch of people started calling in and I TOTALLY talked to these two ladies that were Native. I know it. I just know it. But it was SOOOOOOO sweet. And one lady's mom had just passed away so when she saw the commercial she just started crying and then she called in and we got talking and she just cried to me a lot :) but she just had so many things going wrong in her life and realized that learning more about the Gospel would help. And it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO awesome to be able to be there and be an instrument in the Lord's hands in helping people come to Christ. Oh man it's awesome. SO good. soo good. And it was cool to talk to them about the Book of Mormon and how it talks about our ancestors. Man- it's just good. But I just love it here. I love being a missionary. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE getting letters. I really appreciate everyone who has written to me- I PROMISE I'm writing back during my laundry (which by the way is lame it takes forever) but sorry it's taking me so long! I just only get to write today- it's not that I don't love you :) But I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE everyone! The Gospel is true! And I wish I had been better about sharing it. LOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard

So.... I'm going on a mission :)

2009-03-13T00:45:00.001-07:00

To try and save my mother the worry of having to forward my e-mails, we decided to set up a little blog that she can just post them to. This way she can relate all of the fabulous times I'm having preaching the gospel and wearing pioneer clothes to the general public :) Also- she can put up my current address and what not just in the off chance that you want to write to me!! (which would be greatly appreciated! I'm sure you'll receive lots of blessings if you do :) )

As many of you may know, I was not overly excited about going to a Visitor's Center on my mission, at least initially. I can tell you now that there is honestly nothing I would rather be doing than serving the Lord! I do feel that Nauvoo is going to be just the place for me, and a place where I will be able to accomplish the most good in bringing the gospel to people around the world. It's only a few days until I go into the MTC, and I figure I should be a lot more nervous/excited/crazy but I do just feel this overwhelming calm. I attribute that to the fact I know that I'm doing the right thing, at the right time, and I'll be in the right place. I am SO grateful for my amazing family who have always supported me and provided an atmosphere that led me to know the truthfulness of the gospel. I am also grateful for friends who make it easy for me to choose the right. I honestly am amazed at how lucky I am to be able to go on a mission! I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I'm SO excited to be able to be at a place that was so pivotal in the early history of the Church and to gain a better testimony and appreciation of the lives of the early Saints, particularly Joseph Smith. I love the Lord. I love the gospel. I'll see you in a year and a half :)

My family after I gave my talk in Church. This was supposed to be a "crazy" picture. I feel I really dedicated myself.

My brother and I at the temple after he went through! I LOOOOVE the temple!

We're going on MISSIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Picard at Nauvoo

August 9, 2010 Last post...come what may and love it:)

August 2, 2010

July 26, 2010

july 19, 2010

July 12, 2010 dad's birthday

July 5, 2010 when you're here, we're here (nauvoo pageant)

June 28, 2010 fam fam

June 21, 2010 the sociable

June 13, 2010

June 7, 2010 my life is good...realllly good :))

May 31, 2010 we're glad you're here at sunset by the mississippi!

May 24, 2010 oh say what is truth tis the fairest gem (that is what I have stuck in my head. random, yes.)

May 17, 2010 we are family, i got all my sistas with me :)

May 11, 2010 tonight's gonna be a good night :) (thank you baby for introducing me to what is hip and cool :) )

May 4, 2010 How to make a peanut and honey samwich!!

April 27, 2010 DJ's Birthday :)

April 22, 2010 Testify this bible's worth we'll testify this bible's worth! (rendezvous line :) )

April 15, 2010 good ol' Nauvoo

April 12, 2010 I love my life :)

April 5, 2010....life is good in the hood :)

March 29, 2010 good week :)

March 22, 2010 hey now hey now- this is what dreams are made of.... are made of

March 15, 2010 Part 2

March 8, 2010 "mario. said like MAH-rio. all jersey :) mah like ma-c and cheese. for clarification.

InboxX

March 1, 2010 "when it snows, it snows...now that is an intelligent title"

February 22, 2010 "Fearbuster"

February 15, 2010

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

February 1, 2010 Carlos Bakery

January 25, 2010 yay

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

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

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

December 28, 2009 Hey Ya!

December 21, 2009 "It's not about the lights, it's about the love"

December 14, 2009 "here I go here I go here I go now"

December 7, 2009 "Racoon Pig thing?!?!?"

November 30, 2009 "Love me some mission"

November 23, 2009 "Bird Poo"

November 16, 2009 "5 more days til my Birthday!!!"

November 9, 2009

October 26, 2009 "I...32!

October 19, 2009 "FAMILLLLLYYYY!"

October 12, 2009 I love my new mission!!!!!!!

October 5, 2009 'welp. life is good in the hood.'

October 1, 2009 "Lovin the Temple!!!"

September 26, 2009 "Start spreadin the news......"

September 24, 2009 "3 days left....."

September 19, 2009 "Oh how I love my Saaaaaaaavior!" (it's a song on the come thou fount motab cd)

September 10, 2009 "Proper Picard"

September 3, 2009 "Rise and Shout"

August 27, 2009 "Just two kids having a good time"

August 20, 2009 "I love the Indiana Pacers"

August 13, 2009 "Hoping to make-up for past lameness of not writing"

July 16, 2009 "When you're here, we're here" quote from Nauvoo pageant

Sweet Headbands!

July 23, 2009 "I love to see the Temple!"

July 9, 2009 Melt like a popsicle on the 4th of july!!!!!!!!!!

July 2, 2009

June 25, 2009 "We got the beat"

BEES KNEES....... June 19, 2009

June 11, 2009 "I love to laugh...ha ha ha ha!!!!"

June 4, 2009 A rendezvous in old Nauvoo

May 28, 2009 "I'm just doin my thang"

May 21, 2009 Carthage

Bricklayers

Wishing Well

Companions

May 12, 2009

Pretty Purple Pioneer

Sister Picard & Sister Enser

Greeting From Nauvoo May 8, 2009

Computer Problems :( May 5, 2009

Oh Hey!!! April 21, 2009

April 28, 2009

uhmmm TODAY! aka 4.16.09

April 7, 2009 email (still at the mtc)

email from march 31, 2009!

Inbox X