I need ICE, ICE BABY!

Dear Everyone,

This week was kind of a depressing week. We didn’t do a whole lot like last week and other things happened and next thing you know, it’s the end of the week. I love these kinds of weeks, minus the unsuccessfulness. I won’t focus too much on this last week so much so I will be talking about other things. So to talk about what happened in the news. That is really sad that those two missionaries died. But just so everyone knows, in my mission, it is prohibited to have gas heaters for the reason that one of us could die. So we already took safety precautions.

So if anyone was keeping track, I have been in Merlo for almost FIVE MONTHS! You know what that means right?? I will probably be moving to a whole other area. On the 15th on this month is transfer meeting and that is when I will find out where in the mission I will be going. So don’t expect anything really big or any letter at all that day. Maybe the next day. Who knows! I sure don’t. But at this point in the ball game, I will be sad to leave Merlo but at the same time, I really like adventure and moving around. It’s a lot of fun to me.

So this week in my personal study, I have been studying, once again, the attributes of Christ and the last week of his life. It has been really cool to read, study and think about. When you read the four gospels, they are the actual words of the apostles and Christ from 2,000 years ago! It is like they are telling you the story right in front of your eyes like it happened yesterday.

I was reading in Matthew towards the end when it talks about the atonement. Matthew writes that Jesus told his disciples to wait while he goes and prays. And it also says that he was feeling sorrowful and heavy burdened. When he left his apostles, he immediately fell on his face and began to plead with the Father. He began pleading with the Father to have the cup pass him. Jesus didn’t want to suffer for all of our sins. But he knew that if he didn’t, God’s plan would be broken and all of us would be lost. He said not my will but thy will be done. We read in D&C 19:15-19 that this pain cause God, even the greatest of all, to tremble. To bleed from every pore as if it were sweat. If we can think that Jesus Christ suffered that for all of my sins, we can only begin to comprehend a little bit of the magnitude of his suffering. But in return, what does God ask of us? He doesn’t ask much at all. He asks us to be obedient to every commandment He has given us. We can do whatever we want in this life, but to return with him, we need to keep His commandments.

I am grateful for the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for each and every one of us. He knows that we are imperfect so He gave us this path that can help us get back to our Heavenly Father. What a Marvelous demonstration of love! During this month, where love is expressed the most, express the love that Jesus expressed to us. Not to say that you need to go and sacrifice yourself, but sacrifice your time and service to help those in need. Service is the key to becoming like our Heavenly Father and His son. In Mosiah 2:17 we read that when we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are in the service of our God. Let us be obedient, diligent, full of charity, patient, and faithful to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. All we need to do is believe on his name and act on our faith. Acting is the part that everyone forgets to do but it is necessary. Show your love this week and this month. Tell me what you did to help someone this week. I am serving a mission where everyday I get the opportunity to show my love for the people by sharing the gospel and this message of happiness.

Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Packard for your letter this week. Also Miss Erica, Mother Erica, Dear Dearest Miss Erica, thank you for your letters. I got them last week and I have yet to write a response but don’t worry, I will. Trust me. As for everyone else, thank you for your prayers and encouraging words. If you have written me and I have not responded, Write again! Until next week, I love you!

Love, Elder Pickett