Happy Thanksgiving

Well hello everyone after a longer week here without a p-day! Hope you all have a great thanksgiving today! And Happy Birthday to my sister Alyssa!

So since it was such a long week, a lot has happened. I will do my best to try and not make this boring or rambling email though.

So starting off the week we had some finding time and found this lady named Cathy. She opened the door and was holding this dog, and so we talked up the dog and once that awkward barrier was broken of two random guys on the doorstep, we talked for quite a while! All stemming back to the normal and natural ways of missionary work.

Also fun little thing we do here. So we visit this one member who lives in this big building and he lives on floor 15... So we thought that every time we would go over there we would see how fast we can make it to his place.  We call it the 5S challenge, and so far the record to beat there is 1:29.99.  So we will see if we can improve from that! Its all about finding the little joys and reasons to laugh and smile day by day, Men are that they might have joy, and so that we do! 

We also had zone conference this last week. I got to conduct that as zone leader, so that was fun. It was weird to see lots of people again and so many faces that I didn't recognize after being out in the middle of nowhere for a while. After zone conference, we went out with a member and he took us to this super sick Japanese place that was all you can eat, and we all pretty much ate until we literally couldn't get any more in our bodies haha. We definitely got our moneys worth there.  

So something super fun that I got to do this week was going on an exchange with one of the district leaders, and it just so happens that they are the Spanish elders that we live with, and in the area that I served in for 6 months.  So I got to go home in a way and see all tons of familiar faces and help out pretty well there.  One of the things we got to do during that exchange is there was a baptism in our English ward of two kids, like 13 and 8, and I got asked to do one of the baptisms. So Elder Fletcher and I each did one of the baptisms and it was such a good experience. The only thing is that after, Elder Fletcher pulled the plug on the font, and there was a baptism scheduled for immediately after in the Spanish ward.  So after the first baptism we got all hands on deck in filling the font, which normally takes 3 and a half hours to fill.  So we got the water on at full, and then went to the janitor's closet and started filling buckets with the hose there.  The Spanish ward was super chill with it and was all hands in, the little girl even got to help fill her own font which she thought was such a cool experience. 

Also, later that night we got to go visit someone named Jaime who I taught in Lakeville. He has been living up here taking care of his mom, so me and him had a good heart to heart talking about how it wasn't just a coincidence that we ran into each other again and that was so fun.

Finally, we have been super blessed here lately.  There are blessings that come from us on this earth doing the right thing at the right place and doing all that we can in our efforts.  We were blessed to see that as we were giving our all, even if by our own strength or ways we didn't see any big miracles, but God provided the rest in miracles.  We had a super solid family we are teaching invite us to come over for Thanksgiving with them, and just an amazing referral drop into our hands out of nowhere.  So always keep on working hard. As faithful saints we can be assured that if we do all our part and try and be in the right place at the right time doing the right thing, we can expect miracles, and be able to rely on them! So keep that in mind!

Love you all! 

Have a great thanksgiving!

Elder Pickering

The Spanish Ward's turkey "futbol" bowl

Ryan's Zone

Returned Home

President and Sister Ocampos

Hey Everyone.
Back after another crazy week here in Minnesota.  Well we had transfers this last week and I have returned back to my first area where I spent 6 months already, although this time as zone leader so I am working with the English ward that covers the same area.  It is super weird being back in the same apartment, but this time being the zone leader rather than the Spanish missionaries here. But  it will be good.  I sure missed all the crazy that goes down here in the cities.  For example in my first couple days down here the crazy has been nonstop.  We were driving past a McDonalds here and saw this police drive up to it with his lights on and so we were watching as we were passing, and in one fluid motion the police officer gets out of his car and pulls his gun on all the people outside of the Mcdonalds.  We have no end to this story because we had to keep driving, but man that is the kind of crazy that you just miss out on being in Morris in the middle of nowhere.  

Also we got a self referral from this guy and we texted him and he wanted us to visit him like that moment, so we get up and go and get to know him. We learn he has been to jail multiple times and then when he was looking for something he lifted up his pillow and there was a big ol knife under it, you know "just in case, you never know when someone will try and rob you" so that was an adventure, but hey he might come to church this week!

So another fun time is the very first day of this transfer, before I could even unpack my stuff is I had exchanges with the zone leaders.  So I headed off to their area and worked with the YSA for a day, it was a good time, a bit of a culture shock after working with Hispanics for 16+ months and then next day going and doing work on the college campus, but its always a good time and it was good to jump into the deep water and start swimming.  Church also this week was a crazy opening into not only a ward, but a ward in the middle of the cities haha.  We had one guy speak on dinosaurs and how they prove the bible and were on the ark that Noah built and whatnot, and following him a member of the 70 who lives in the ward had the chance to speak, so quite the contrast.  I also had the chance (being volunteered by the sisters) to sing in the choir here as well, so it was just a full Sunday.

So I am super excited to see how this next while goes in a new area, I will miss Morris, but there will be plenty of miracles and blessings that come here. Thankfully Christ knows what we go through and can help qualify us for any situation and help us to not only make it through, but make our weaknesses strengths, and help us move forward with a new hope and lasting joy!

Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Pickering

Ryan loves President Barney

Ryan visited Pickerina's grave, the bunny that was named after him.

A warm welcome from a gracious host.

Morris Miracles

Ryan has had the amazing opportunity to serve in the rural town of Morris.  On the outside it may seem like a tiny unassuming town in the farmlands of Minnesota but it turned out to be a place of incredible growth and opportunities.

Ryan was sent there to help with a brand new Spanish Branch that met in a room in the city offices.  His first week there, 9 people attended the branch, and that included the missionaries.  There was work to be done.  This tiny branch provided Ryan with experiences of leadership, music conducting, spontaneous talks and lessons, adult responsibilities and the opportunity to share his years of experience in the church with those that had less.

He cooked for the the whole branch for General Conference.  He made sugar cookies and delivered them to everyone and invited them to give a plate to someone they were thinking about.  He started a weekly soccer game for the community.  He reached out by social media and local print to invite people to learn more about Christ.

He and his companion, Elder Pugh, got out into the community and served in so many capacities.  He helped people move and organize, played with the animals in the local animal shelter, supported local events, helped in the local food pantries, built shelves and other things and even became celebrities at the local thrift stores.  The missionaries became known as hardworking, honest, reliable and upstanding young men.  Someone even interviewed them for an article in the local newspaper.  They became friends and advocates for the Spanish community within Morris. It was incredible to see the outreach they accomplished.

Things were going strong.  They had some promising investigators that were attending church.  The attendance had grown at the highest to 27 people.  Miracles were happening all around them.  And Ryan was happy, thriving and losing him self in the work and his love for the people.  And, as typical, when you have learned your lesson and accomplished your purpose, it is time to move on.

Ryan received a surprising notice that he was being transferred.  He was sad.  We were sad.  The Branch was sad.  It was hard to understand.  And yet this was the perfect opportunity to trust in the Lord and his plan for Ryan.  Who knows why it was time for him to leave but we will look forward to finding out why.

But in the meantime, I will forever be grateful to the town of Morris and the joy we felt to have Ryan serve in that little piece of Heaven.

Ryan's Mom

PS  Ryan had many stories of working in the various thrift stores and the employees loved them.  The missionaries also benefited from various cast off items from the store.  I have included pictures of a Christmas tree that they built using pieces of various items.  The following week they were able to decorate it with stuff that was being discarded that week.  This also included various apartment decorations.  And, in the end, they gave him a $25 gift certificate to the store that he was able to spend before he left.  He purchased all of his Christmas presents and boy are we looking forward to opening the treasures he so carefully selected.

Way Up I feel Blessed

Well hello everyone from what has once again become Antarctica.  

This week we had a super solid week and lots of blessings. I don't really know how to express it in an email format, but we will see what I can do for y'all.

So started off I went on a blitz with a few elders up north of us in Alexandria, because you know, responsibilities of leadership, but that is how it goes. Its never fun to leave your area and not put any work into it in a day. The blitz itself was quite the experience, and not in the way that you would wish... but that is the way it goes sometimes.

We also later on in the week got to head up to St Cloud to do some service at this choir  thing.  There was choirs of different faiths and schools that were all singing different stuff, and our very own "Minnesota Saints Choral" was able to participate and just killed it.  We helped as missionaries usher the doors as well as take donated foods (which was the entrance fee) and carry them back and forth from the doors to a truck. But then once it got going we were able to sit and enjoy it.  To be honest, I found it a bit boring, especially when the Tuba and Piano duet went on for forever.. but the last song they all came together to sing Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and that was super cool, definitely the highlight of the night.

Also we have been set up to volunteer here every once and a while at a humane society and man is that a good time.  We get to help the animals out and play with them a bit and just a little thing to help out the community and have more people see us out serving.

Other than all that, there wasn't too many crazy stories besides teaching.  We were super blessed this last week to have lots of teaching appointments with people we have found and have been working with for a while.  God has certainly been watching out for us and is doing all that is necessary to get this little branch here in Morris growing.  We had new people to teach just fall into place and then people we taught for the first few times just turn out to be golden and keeping commitments, so lots of blessings here.  We were able to see 2 people to church out of it as well! Jose and Maria both came (and no, not Jesus' parents Jose and Maria) but they both came and participated and had a great time! Certainly a great way to see your hard work come to a peak at the week.  

Ultimately the key to success and to the joy and happiness and good times we have been able to have is just work. And we can all apply that.  When we put in our part of doing all that we can and make sure we are not wasting time and we try to better ourselves and fill our times effectively, whether that be as a missionary or not, God will help make our time the most useful and lead to blessings and many time miracles to help us out. So if you are stuck or trying to be better in any aspect of your life, try that cure, work!  I promise it will work out for you, give it your all, full send, fair dinkum, go all in, don't look back, burn the ships, be all in, hopefully one of those helped you grasp the picture.  

Well hope you all have a great week that is a little warmer than us!

Elder Pickering

Dia De Los Muertos

Hey everyone!

So I know I am back already after just a quick couple days since the last time I talked to you all, but these couple days have been pretty packed with some good things.  So this email may be a little shorter, but it will give you something to read.

So starting off, Friday was a pretty normal day for the most part, the best part really came later on in the day.  So we were going to eat with our Branch President and his wife that day, as we usually do with them on Fridays, but this week they had to head down to the cities. So they weren't going to be able to feed us and so the Hermana was pretty worried about how we were going to eat. So she called up her friend who is not a member and asked if she would have us over and feed us! We had talked to their family in the past, but work schedules made it hard to keep good contact with them. But we walked on over there and we were able to talk to the husband for the first time more than just at the doorstep, and as well as talk to his dad! We got to eat and pretty much all the time we could ever want to just get to know them and have them see that we aren,t just robots, but actually semi cool people. So it turns out that the father wants to get to know our church and now we will be going back to eat there more consistently! So it will be a good way to help them progress! And then they even had compassion on us and  drove us home to get our car since it had started snowing while we ate and left about an inch or so on the ground at the time.

So then on Saturday we had some more great experiences and blessings! First off it was Day of the Dead in Hispanic culture, so that was fun! We had some lessons set up and actually got to do some back to back which is always great! We got in this one door that we had met a while ago of this guy named Arturo.  We talked and had a killer lesson and he was super engaged the whole time and has strong desires to learn more about God. He gave us some Mexican candy on the way out and we just felt that it had already gone so well! Then later on that day, we had heard that the library would have some sort of Dia de los Muertos party and so we thought we might check that out and see what it was. We showed up about a half hour late and knowing the Hispanic culture that was perfect, they started right as we walked in.  Turns out that a ton of the Hispanics from the town all came! We knew quite a few of them, and they all knew each other and were just one big family. 

And then a little later when we were about to get food, because it isn't a Hispanic celebration without food, Arturo walks in! He starts introducing us to some of his friends, as well as some of the other people we knew did the same and it turns out this thing we had not really thought to much of turned out to be the best contacting and getting us into the Hispanic community that we could have hoped for! And we talked to Arturo another hour and a half after we had the lesson earlier, so he seems to like us at least a little. 

So that was the main excitement of the week, we had stake conference and I got to translate that and then we are back here at p-day. Hopefully you enjoyed those quick stories of here in Morris! 

Love you all and hope you all have a great week!

Elder Pickering