The Good, the Bad, and the Best Days for my Life

Well y'all, what hasn't happened since the last blog I made?! Since then, I have got a new companion, moved to Grass Valley California, and got a car!! Blessings!!! I miss Granite Bay, all my missionary moms there, and Sister Higham so much but I am doing crazy good things here too. With the holidays, the move, and the time passing, I have been reflecting alot on my time as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have officially been a missionary for 12 months! 12 whole months, I am baffled and humbled that it has already been 1 year.  

It has been officially been 365 days since I watched CSI with my best friend. 

It has been 365 days since I have hugged my dad. 

It has been 365 days since I was in an EMT in SLC living my best life helping others.

Its been 365 days since I have slept in past 6:30. 

1 year, 365 days, 52 weeks. 

Except, it has also been 365 days since I became companions with one of my best friends. 

It has been 365 days since I came to know that Joseph Smith was true prophet of God. 

It has been 365 days since I realized that the world is so much bigger than myself. 

It has been 365 days since my life changed forever. 

Serving a mission was the best and hardest decisions I have ever made but I would make it again if I had too. In my last Facebook post I talked about 12 things I learned in the 12 months I have been here in California. 

1. God knows us personally and individuallly

2. God is in the very details of our lives 

3. The Book of Mormon is the true word of God

4. Life a Mind Set, so you better Own it and Killl it 

5. Family is the most important thing on this earth

6. God answers EVERY prayer 

7. God puts specific people in your life for a reason

8. You can go so much farther than you think you can

9. Sacrament is a needed weekly refresh 

10. The temple truly is God's house on earth 

11. There are no coincidences 

12. The Lord loves effort

I have learned dozens more being out here but those 12 things have really changed my life. I honestly want to talk about each in depth but I know ain't nobody got time for that. So I am hoping to highlight just a few:

1. "God knows us Personally and Individually"

Before coming out on a mission I honestly thought this was just common sense. I thought everyone knew that God loved them and knew them but boy was I wrong. In Auburn, my very first area, we met a guy who believed the exact opposite. He thought that God didn't know him and put all these trials in his life as a punishment. That absolutely broke my heart and shocked me. How could someone possibly think that about God? So we met him where he was at and started at square one. It is probably the most important principle of the gospel but one that gets looked over easily. We tried to explain to him what President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Each of us has a divine potential because each is a child of God. Each is equal in His eyes. The implications of this truth are profound.” We are all equal and God loves us all perfectly and unconditionally. 

I feel like I knew that God loved me before my mission but I never knew how much until it. God loves so me so he sent me some amazing companions who are now some of my best friends. I am beyond lucky because my very first companion changed my life and I love her so much. How lucky is that?! God loved me so much that he sent me family members who have been my biggest supporters and showed me how much they love me. God loved me so much that he gave me my mom's middle name in the temple. God loved so much that he sent me Ethan to take care of my sister while I was gone. God loved me so much that he took me to Granite Bay and gave me Sister Jones, Sister Tanner, and Sister Howes. God is in the very details of our lives and if you look for him you will see him everywhere. 

8. "You can go so much farther than you think you can"

Honestly 365 days ago I started my mission and every single day since then I have been pushed beyond what I thought my capabilities were. Every single day I call random people, knock on strangers door, and teach people things that I believe in. Every single day I get laughed at, doors slammed in my face, hung up on and stood up. 

Every single day I am so so uncomfortable but guess what? I kinda like it that way. There is no growth in the comfort zone. I know that without a doubt, Jesus Christ wasn't comfortable, yet he did it anyway. I can't tell you how many times I thought I could go no more, I wanted to quit but I did it anyway. One of my favorite quotes on my mission is from Sister Jones. She told this to Sister Higham and I after a hard day, she said "If you are being stretched you are being strengthed." That really touched me because of its truthfulness. When we are being pushed beyond our limit, we are being made stronger! I cannot tell you have times I have cried in the past year but God can. He has heard me and wiped away my tears everytime. Through experiences like those I have grown and have been made into a stronger version of me. 

I feel like Elder Holland said it best when he said, "My beloved brothers and sisters, Christianity is comforting, but it is often not comfortable. The path to holiness and happiness here and hereafter is a long and sometimes rocky one." It's not meant to be easy or everyone would do it. So the next time you think you've hit your breaking point, you think you can't go anymore, "lean on your sword and rest alittle but then get back up and FIGHT AGAIN." I promise and missionaries are living proof that you can go further and you are so much stronger then you think you are. I know that God and Jesus Christ have pushed me to my limits but they didn't make me do it by myself. 

3. "The Book of Mormon is the true word of God"

I feel like if I learned nothing else while being out here in California. If I posted about one thing it would be about my knowledge of the Book of Mormon. 

Ever since I can remember the Book of Mormon was nothing special to me. I have read it couple times, learned somethings here and there and heard some cool stories out of it. Before my mission I didn't even know it was true! That fact sacred me to death in the MTC! Until I decided to pray about it and figure it out for myself. I received my answer about Joseph Smith being a prophet and I knew that that meant that the Book of Mormon was true!! All through learning more about David Whitmer, I felt something I have never felt before! A rush of excitement I never knew could be felt while reading the Book of Mormon. I even wrote in my journal "I have never felt like this before... I hope I never loose this feeling." 

Except the rush left soon after and I felt like I was back at square one. I knew it was true but I didn't love reading it. Until I was training my brand new greenie and she was talking to a member about doing the 90 day scripture challenge. They talked about how amazing it was and how it helped them so much!! I decided to give it a try. I got a brand new copy of the Book of Mormon and I decided to read it fresh. I started The Book of Mormon but I decided to do it for someone else. For the best couple months I have been doing the challenge for very special people in my life. So those people don't know it at the time but they are cheering me on and they are giving me a reason. I read and mark things for them in the copies of the Book of Mormon and let me tell you, it has changed my life forever. 

Every day as I read I get that feeling again just like in the MTC. That feeling that I never wanted to loose I have it again, EVERY DAY. I learned new things, verses stick out to me in different ways, and I am able to understand it better. I am might be doing it for others but it has shaped me more than anyone else. The Book of Mormon is my escape from the world, in that book I learned how much God loves us and how merciful he is. My mind is blown everyday by things I read in that book. I am just about to finish up a 60 day challenge and I cannot tell you what it meant to me. I know that The Book of Mormon is true.

I know that when President Nelson said, " I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions —every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day." I saw this come true every day for the past 60 days! If you want to change your life, get answers to questions, and receive blessings, read the Book of Mormon. 

Just recently I had something that I was really worrying about, it was something so worldly but so specific. I opened the Book of Mormon and not two pages later there was a verse that specifically talked about that one thing I was stressed about. My mind was blown and I knew that Heavenly Father knew and loved me. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon in my life. I am so grateful for Sister Higham and her introducing me to those challenges. I am so grateful for this gospel. I am so grateful for these past 12 months and the rest to come. 

Love,

Sister Pickett

What did you learn this year?? 

Comment down below!! 

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I have too admit a huge reason why I am so behind on posting is because I haven't had any life changing dishes here in Grass Valley. Except for ONE. My Aunt Dawn sent me a Christmas package with this cookie recipe in it and Golly was it amazing!! It was seriously one of the best cookies I have had!

As I was making it I let my companion taste the dough and by the end there was almost none to bake! She said, "this is the best cookie dough I have ever had." Girlll just wait until I bake it!! I took them to our missionary meeting and they were gone before the meeting was even over!! 

The taste of the smooth chocolate dough with the extra bursts of chocolate chips made my heart so happy!! Y'all know I am texture girl so the crunchy marshmallows bits are exactly what this cookie needs to bring it over the edge. This is definitely not just a Christmas cookie!! It should be made year round!! This cookie was a hit!! I didn't know but it's also a hit in my family too!! These are my grandmas favorite cookies!! Can't blame her, they are amazing!! 

Do you have a cookie recipe that could top this one?? 

Comment down below!!