Week 100 May 30, 2016 "Time is just such a blessing, never take it for granted!!"

     My new companion is awesome and we are doing great together. We have seen a lot of cool miracles together and it has only been a few days. The Lord for sure is blessing me with a lot of happiness and success my last transfer!! God is good and I know my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, loves me and will be with my every step of the way as I finish my mission. We have really been trying to work with the youth lately and have seen quite a bit of success. No baptisms but we are building really good friendships with a lot of high schoolers and they even view us as their older brothers. We have been playing a lot of basketball and proselyting at this one park in particular so now pretty much everyone knows us and likes us. I am not sure where my basketball skills have gone and hopefully I can get them back soon. I haven't played in too long and I need them back haha. The military branches are helping us out a ton with our investigators and there are so many great member missionaries. Members are necessary in missionary work and finding success in teaching investigators without members I have found to be very difficult. I can't wait to go home and help the missionaries in my future wards teach their investigators. It will bring back so many happy moments and I cant wait! 

      Time is a hard concept to grasp right? I think it is for sure. I remember coming out on my mission and thinking it would never end and that I would never be in my last transfer. Thinking like that was foolish of me. Instead I should of realized I can't control time and the only thing I could do was work and be happy. I didn't focus too much on the end because I never wanted it to happen but now that I am almost there I am realizing a lot of things. I think it is good to view a certain future goal or event with happiness because then you know all you have to do before you get there. Focusing and working hard in the present allows God to bless you later on because He realizes you aren't worried or scared of the future. Moving on from the past is tough and not worrying about the future likewise is difficult. Understanding time and how to view it period is tough. I have came to know that God knows all and He will help me find success and happiness. My head hurts haha. So I have no idea if I am making sense or not but hopefully you get my point. Time is just such a blessing, never take it for granted!!

Love, 

Elder Picard

Our family LOVES watermelon! 

New companion, Elder Young from Vernal, Utah!

Week 99 May 23, 2016 "I am not just going to finish, I am going to finish STRONG!"

     Well Ladies and Gentleman, Elder Picard officially has one transfer left starting Wednesday! I have flat out loved my mission and learned so much! I do not regret one bit coming out. It has been the bomb.com! So we got transfer calls and I will be getting a new companion. His name is Elder Young and he is from Vernal! Crazy huh? Who knew that on my mission I would end up having a comp from Vernal, Utah? I sure didn't.  Elder Miller is also getting a new companion. His new companion will be Elder Arredondo who was trained by Elder Knapp back in Gangnam. I am pretty stoked to have two new Elders around and it should be way fun serving with them. I may have Elder Arredondo even teach me some Spanish. Since we will be loosing a lot of Elders next transfer when my group goes home they will have to shut down a lot of areas. Since we were aware of that we were guessing that two new missionaries would come in to become companions next transfer when Elder Miller and I go home. I am not sure if that is what will actually happen but that is what we were guessing will happen. So if that does happen there will be only 2 Elders and 2 Sisters here meaning that the military branches may officially lose missionaries for a bit. They still have the McPherrrons, the senior missionaries, so I think it will be okay. Also when I leave our mission will get a new mission president. President Morrise leaves before me so I will know the new mission President for about a week. President Morrise will still do my exit interview so I am stoked about that because it would be weird doing it with someone who doesn't even know me. I look forward to my last transfer and am going to leave it all on the field for sure. It is time to FINISH! I can't give up now. I am not just going to finish, I am going to finish STRONG! I look forward to a transfer full of proselyting and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have found so much happiness in teaching the gospel and will continue to do my best inviting others to come unto Christ! 

Love, 

Elder Picard 

Week 98 May 16, 2016 "I have come to learn on my mission that the hard times are the best times."

  I know the Lord has a plan for each and every one of His children. What He has in store for us may not be what we expect but what we need. I know that to be true. We must trust in Him and not think we know what is best for ourselves because we don't. In those times we think things should be a different way, we miss so much. When we are focused on ourselves and the most ideal life situation with no problems or trials we miss all that we could learn in the hard times. I have come to learn on my mission that the hard times are the best times. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father so much! I also know they love me because they have helped me grow so much these past 2 years. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true and although I take this badge off my chest in a little over a month and a half I will never stop being a missionary!! 

Love, 

Elder Picard

Week 97 May 9,2016 "We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

     I love my mom, she is great!! My parents are the best and they raised me so well. Even in times where I was a little rascal they still loved me. They always pushed me to become who they knew I could become. They loved me no matter what. This is the scripture I shared yesterday when I spoke in sacrament and it is the one I want to share today. It is Alma 56: 47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it. 

Love, 

Elder Picard

Week 96 May 2, 2016 "Lots of love, multiple cakes & most importantly an interview with President for my 21st birthday!"

My message this week is just this scripture which I read this morning in personal study. It is D&C 81: 5 Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. I believe this scripture to be a big blessing. As we serve others I know the Lord will bless us and that we will find happiness. We have to make the choice and say "Yes, Lord, I will follow thee." The choice is ours and no one will choose for us. We have to take the first step. As we take that first step I know the Lord will help us take the following steps. 

Love, 

Elder Picard

He had an awesome birthday! So many people showed him love, thanks from his momma in Utah!

We have been placing this special Barbie on birthday cakes for almost 20 years, a fun family tradition. We figured Barbie needed to travel and mailed her all the way to South Korea to celebrate with our missionary.  He is very good at taking good care of things, and I have every confidence in the world Barbie will be back July 12th to celebrate Dan's 54th birthday :)

Another awesome family taking good care of my boy.

Special permission to attend the wedding of someone he friendshipped in Seocho.

He was so worried about this picture he wrote me "Mom I had no idea I was standing this close to her, it looks like I may have my arm around her and I promise I don't." So funny he thought I would be worried, she is married DJ you're good.