Week 8! How that's possible? I have no idea.

Hello everyone! It is week 8 of this transfer here in C-Bud (transfers are 9 weeks in the Czech Republic). Still haven't figured out how that is possible. This transfer has been absurdly fast, which I don't appreciate at all. But still, good things have been happening. Here's a few

• This past Friday, we had Visa work in Prague. Which means that I got to see my whole MTC group together again. That was absurdly fun, and I have a few ridiculous pictures to document it. We also went to a burrito place and got really good burritos in Prague. I am going to make a note of that place for the future if I ever serve there...Also, during Visa work the lady got upset with me because she didn't find the stamp in my passport from when I came into the country. That was a bit of a stressful moment. But more so for Elder Belshe, who was in charge of the visa work for all 13 missionaries who were in Prague doing Visa work together. He coordinated the whole thing, and had to be able to answer any questions. He is a champ.

Our MTC District-  We are good. 

We're missing Elder Paxton, he had already left to return to his area.

• I also had the chance to give my first Priesthood Blessing in Czech! It was a little bit terrifying, but also really cool. We have a member who lives nearby who was feeling really sick, so we went over and gave her a blessing, and Elder Dean volunteered me to do it, because I haven't yet had the opportunity. It was stressful, but I was able to say everything I felt like I needed to, so that was good.
• We get people asking us who we are going to vote for. Then they want to talk politics with us (mostly about Donald Trump). 
• Today we went on a fun hike into the woods near the border of Austria. The forest is in Dobra Voda. Which is a little suburbs that means "good water." The fountain is right outside of the center here.  Our area is really large, and literally our South border is the Czech-Austrian border, so don't worry, we were still in our area and everything.  The Sestras’ English student George was our fearless leader.

 Hiking in the forests of Dobra Voda

 Pretty forest.

Here is a rock that looks like a face from both directions.

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• We also had a really full Thursday, and almost ran out of time for lunch! I mean, as bad as it is to miss food, we are also thrilled to be really busy. It's a dangerous balance we maintain...

Lunch

• Learning the language is coming along well. I just want to keep going and keep working hard on it.  Also as a funny side note, I can no longer pronounce anything correctly in Spanish. Mr. Ruden was always complimenting my on that during Spanish, but now, anything that isn't in English gets pronounced in Czech. So the "n" wasn't what was giving me problems, it was the "c" (in reference to a Spanish name that Scott sent him).
•  The three hardest things about serving? 1) I still don't understand a lot of what people are saying 2) We have almost no down-time whatsoever. I am fine with not lounging around all day, but we are go, go, go pretty much from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to sleep. That is exhausting. and 3) Trying to figure out the best way to be a missionary.

• We did service in a forest on Saturday! Also, we all got ticks! But don't worry, we got them out properly and safely. C-Bud is pretty.

 Our C-Bud District- Sestras Manners & DeMann, Starsi Pickett & Dean

Starsi Brad Pickett- Mormon Helping Hands!

• In a talk I watched in the MTC, Elder Holland "demands" at least one convert on our missions, and it had better be us. I think it is so true. As you spend all day living and preaching the gospel, if you aren't being changed by it, you aren't going to have done anything significant when you return home.

The spiritual thought for this week comes from Elder Uchtdorf's talk from last conference, Saturday Morning Sessions. By last I mean October. He talks about that we don't have to achieve any special place before God will start working with us. He loves us and He wants us to improve, starting from right where we are. So my challenge is to start! Wherever you are at, start! If you have goal you have wanted to fulfill, start it! If you have one you gave up on, try it again! God is always there for us, and he is supporting us in every effort we make to improve as people, and as followers of His son, Jesus Christ.
Thanks for all of the prayers and support, you all rock!
-Elder Pickett

 We are the Southern Boys, because we are in South Bohemia. As south as you can get.

 

Giant Catholic Church. With the Mormons inside.