March 15, 2010 Part 2

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

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.

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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"

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"

Family-

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

Sister Picard

February 15, 2010

Family!

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

Sister Picard

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

Family-

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

Sister Picard