It Gets Cold Like Minnesota

So this past week was a little tougher for Ryan.  You can tell by the tone of his emails that he is pushing through and yet he does not sugar coat how he is feeling.  I honestly toyed with the idea of not including his email this week.  But I realized that it is a disservice to not be completely honest and authentic about being a missionary and sometimes the trials they go through.  It is a lot like life.  It is not always going to be rosy and sometimes you may ask yourself what is happening or why you have to go through something in particular.  Most of us can eventually look back and recognize our growth and what we needed to learn.  It mission certainly can be a refiners fire.  And right now, for Ryan, he is being molded and stretched and challenged to become his best self.  That doesn't mean we can't pray for him and the people of Minnesota but it is also recognizing that the Lord has him and he will be okay in the end.  My mother's heart must trust this and be at peace with the good and the bad.

He did include a fun video that proved to me that he is still finding joy in the world around him.  I included it at the end of this entry.

Here is a snippet of his email to me:

Hey Mom. Its been pretty good since I talked to you. Honestly emailing is really hard, because there are weeks where nothing new happens. Like I could talk about how we knocked doors and didn't meet anyone or stuff like that. Like Minnesota isn't near as interesting as many other missions seem like. It was nice to talk to you all though. Just joke around and be a family again, it was a lot of fun for me. 

Man I love Hermana Vega. She is the closest thing to having a mom here in this area, she is the mvp. She always invites us over and is an awesome member missionary, she is just phenomenal. Along with their whole family honestly. They are by far my favorite family I have met here on my mission so far. And they just had their daughter get back from her mission here this last week. 

The training is coming alright but man it is tough . . .

And the group email:

Well hey everyone.  

And Merry Christmas! I gave myself a Christmas present last week and decided not to do a weekly. But don't worry, all is still well here. We got to go to a member's house and eat some good food and play games for Christmas, so that was a lot of fun.

Other than the holiday, things this week were pretty much just the same as any other week. The work here isn't as exciting or booming as some of those in other missions. There is a lot of time that we spend tracting or trying to find people, and at times we go days on end without people letting us in or letting us talk about out message. That's just the work sometimes. 

So sorry for nothing all that interesting here. The sidewalks are pretty much all pure ice right about now and that is pretty sketch especially biking. And our locks like to freeze so begins the adventures of a missionary here. 

As we start the new 2 hours of church here I would invite you all to make the most of it. As with many things In this gospel, the more you put in, the more you get out. And this is an inspired change by our prophet who has been called of God. So I invite you all to seek the guidance of the spirit as you strive to implement the new program and focus the gospel more in your homes and as families. 

Sorry for the short email. Feel free to message me if you ever want to know more. Have a great week

Elder Pickering 

Happy New Year

Field of Ice

6 Months!!!!

Ryan hit his 6 month mark today.  Apparently it is tradition for  Elders to burn a tie when they hit this milestone.  We received these pictures as evidence that the tradition continues.

Feliz Navidad!!

This week, Elder Pickering's P-day was changed to Christmas Day.  So we received no emails today.  However, we had the awesome opportunity to Skype with him which was incredible.  It was so good to see his face and hear him talk in person.  We were able to joke around together as a family, share updates on everyone, ask him questions about his mission and the work, give encouragement and hear his testimony in Spanish.  He has definitely had some challenges thus far in his mission and yet he was happy and assured us that he knows without a doubt that he is exactly where he needs to be at this time.  We know that he still has a lot to learn but we could also see how much he has grown and changed already.  Talking with him was the best Christmas present ever.

On Christmas Eve he was able to have dinner with a member family (they ate Mole an authentic, yummy, Hispanic food) and go caroling.  Christmas morning was spent with other missionaries in their apartment's lounge, opening presents and playing games.  After talking with us, he went to another member's house for a dinner and celebration.  It was the Vega Family whom Ryan loves immensely.  He said that Mayde is the closest thing he has to a mother there, and he just adores the whole family.  Mayde sends me pictures at times and lets me know how he is doing.  In her recent text she said that she only has daughters and Ryan is like a son to her.  I am so grateful that she has opened her home and heart to love and take care of my son. 

I think overall Ryan had a nice holiday.  He did not seem too homesick and was finding joy in the world around him.

Caroling

Christmas morning in the lounge

The Vega Family

One of the sweet messages I have received from Mayde

Together as a family

In Minne for Christmas

Ryan and his new trainee, Elder Birrell

Another week and Ryan continues to be given opportunities for growth and trusting in the Lord.  He is happy to be staying in Minneapolis where he has worked hard developing good relationships with the members and the people he is teaching.  Being a trainer will certainly allow him to stretch, continue to strengthen his Spanish skills, and challenge him in ways that he couldn't have imagined 6 months ago when he left.  We are so proud of him and the work he is doing as a missionary.  We look forward to speaking with him on Christmas day and hearing more in detail about all that he is doing and learning.  We sure miss him, especially during this holiday season, but we know that he is sharing his testimony of the Savior Jesus  Christ with those that need to hear it and helping change their lives.  That is the greatest gift he can be giving at this time and we are willing to be apart from him for this short time so he can bless the lives of others.

Group Email:

Hello everyone! 

So here I am back from another week here, and his last week we had transfers, which always leads to some interesting new situations.  So I was asked to train this transfer, and I get to stay in my same area.  So Elder Terry was here, and then left a transfer later.  And I am here for the long haul and training Elder Birrell.  He is from South Salt Lake, and straight out of the Mexico CCM.  So lots of new adventures and interesting days to come from that here.  

At transfers I was able to see Elder Smith who is serving here from my same city, Saratoga Springs, and it is always fun to see a familiar face when you have been away for a while.  

So there isn't a whole lot crazy to talk about this week, because we are working on training Elder Birrell and getting him introduced in the work.  We have a very new district right now, where half the people are trainees and just came out this transfer, so that is pretty crazy. Our ward is getting to try and recognize a bunch of new faces now.  I am very excited to be able to stay here for another transfer at least in this area, and be here for Christmas, it should be a blast.  That being said as well, my next P-day will not be until Christmas day, so don't be expecting any emails on Monday,  I know that it will be hard for you all to wait that extra day to receive my thrilling group email, but you will just have to.  

Well this week here, the work has been hard.  We are working hard everyday, but there isn't always a lot that comes from it.  But I am here in this area for a while longer, so I am excited to see what it is I have to do here. I will keep on enduring to the end and keep working just as hard.  Because blessings comes from enduring to the end, and to those who endure it well.  There are plenty of hard times in all of our lives, but they pass, and its after the trial of our faith that we are able to see the blessings and miracles.  So for those that are seeing those difficulties of life and are stuck in that mentality, push through it, and endure it well!  

Well talk to you all next week on Christmas!

Enjoy the holidays!

Elder Pickering

Elder Pickering and Elder Smith reunited from Westlake High School

Don't Cook Your Investigators!

Another good week for Ryan.  He is progressing and growing and loving the people and the Gospel and staying warm.  What more could a parent ask for???

Random thoughts from Letters:

One thing you'll enjoy to hear it that I learned to make pupusas this week!  We were at my ward mission leaders house, and is wife is Salvadoranian and so she taught us how to make some pupusas and I made a bunch there!  They were killer!  And then one of the people we are teaching invited us over this week that when we have our lesson we are also going to eat pupusas, so that is a cool thing!  Other wise we haven't seen a lot of success or growth in the people we are working with, which is hard, but God will put in my path the people I need to impact in one way or another, even if they are not prepared to make all the steps at this point in time. 

It definitely feeling more like Christmas here too, although it is so much different than normal Christmas times.  Holidays kinda just come and go and you kinda feel them, but its like they never get fully celebrated and its weird and whatnot, but I'll be back to full on real ones in like no time.  For now we have our ghetto Christmas decorations all set up and we are jamming to the Christmas music you sent, thank you for that too!  It has been way fun to have those, and now I am loaded with Christmas music that my whole apartment has been able to partake of.  The weather here isn't too bad, it is a bit chilly on days, but I just throw my coat on and my cold stuff, and I have been fine.  I haven't suffered really from the cold so far, everyone really exaggerated what the Minnesota winters would be, and so far the bark is far worse than the bite.

A thought from one of Elder Pickering's Facebook posts"

1 Nephi 8:12

And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

In this gospel we are blessed to have the fruit that is desirable above all other. And that is why I have chosen to be out here and serve. We have so many blessings from God that this gospel has to offer. So if you're going through a hard time, or are wanting to come partake of this fruit, and find that same happiness, it is here in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints waiting for you

1 Nefi 8:12
Y al comer de su fruto, mi alma se llenó de un gozo inmenso; por lo que deseé que participara también de él mi familia, pues sabía que su fruto era preferible a todos los demás.

En este evangelio, estamos bendecidos de tener la fruta que es preferible a todos los demás. Este es porque he escogido estar aquí y servir a Dios. Tenemos muchas bendiciones de Dios que este evangelio nos ofrece. Entonces, si esta en un tiempo difícil o quiere tener de la fruta y encontrar la felicidad. Lo está aquí en La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Últimos Días, esperando para usted.

Group Email:

Hey everybody, its me again!

This week has been good here in Minnesota! To start the week off I got to go to a leadership meeting that every once and a while the district leaders are invited to along with the zone leaders.  That was a good time.  It was very interesting to see everyone's different view points and how the work goes on in the different areas of the mission. It went well, and we got a free lunch out of it, which as a missionary is always just a blessing.  

Another out of the normal thing I got to do this week was go on exchanges for a day.  I went with Elder Schwieder, and got to introduce him to the life of a Spanish missionary for a day.   And what a small world it is, because he grew up with one of my good friends from my mtc district who is down in Texas right now, honestly crazy.  But we had a lot of fun together trying to stay warm while biking here in the city.  It sure is an adventure everyday.  Some days we probably look more like Eskimos biking around all geared up just trying to cover every bit of exposed skin we have. You do what you have to do in order to not freeze here I guess, and so far I haven't froze, so that is a win.  

We had a baptism in our ward yesterday, which was really awesome!  It is this 11 year old kid who doesn't live with his biological dad, and for the longest time his biological dad didn't give him permission to get baptized or make that step.  But I guess something changed and the spirit did some convincing, but Jason finally got permission to be baptized.  So I got to interview him and square him away for his baptism.  The sisters were filling the font for him too, and somehow they messed it up, and were filling the font at 125 degrees... So thankfully when I went to check on it, I caught that and was able to make sure we got him baptized rather than cooking him!  

Well that is it for my week here in Minne.  We have transfers this week, so by the next email you may get all new stories and people, or maybe the same ol.  I will find out Tuesday night what is going on, so I am excited to see.  Either way though, the work of the Lord goes on in all places.  We can find the work to be done and further the gathering of Israel if we are willing to do His will and always keep an open mind, heart and eyes.  So always be open and look for what the Lord has in store for you and how he wants to help you or someone else through you.

Talk to you all later!

Elder Pickering

Making Papusas