Revenge of the Office Work

Hello everybody! As may be evidenced by my title, we had to spend a lot of time this week in the office, so that was unfortunate.  We have been able to avoid office work pretty well for the last few weeks. However, we still managed to get out a little bit, and to do some good missionary work. So I will send some updates on our fun and crazy week.

• Today we went to a giant garden outside of Prague, in a little town called Horni Chvatliny, where we did some yard work. It is a little local amusement park type thing where they have little trains for the children. One of our English students does yard work there, so she invited us to come out and help. It was fun, and we got fed and got to ride in a little train made for young children. Which is always a nice bonus.

You can tell it was made for children, can't you?

• This evening we have a presentation about different lands. So we will have presentations about Utah, California, Australia and Ecuador.  The first two from missionaries, the last two from members in the ward. It should be good, and we are hoping for a good turn-out.
• We got to do some fun group finding yesterday and we had a small singing display of four missionaries. I met a gentleman who knows about us from “The Book of Mormon” musical. He actually is legitimately interested in what we believe and how we really feel about different things discussed in the play. So we may end up having a lesson with him sometime. He also speaks perfect English.
• Overall we have had a pretty slow week. We got out for a few hours each day, but all of our investigators and others were busy and couldn't meet. That was disappointing, but we will try again this next week. We are hoping that more people will be available. We got trapped in the rain while tracting. I took a video, but it is too big to send.

Where we took shelter!

•  We will have 12- 13 total missionaries that will arrive in early September, next transfer. 2-3 Czech Elders, 6 Czech Sisters, 2 Slovak elders and 2 sisters. Should be good fun. It has been an interesting two transfers in the office. That is for sure. I really like Elder Terry, and we have already talked about meeting up after our missions at BYU. 
• Fun fact: the Freiburg Temple (In Germany, closest to Prague) is going to be rededicated on September 4th. And they will broadcast the re-dedication ceremony here. So we get to watch it in Czech. It will be really cool! 
• (Responding to a challenge from Scott to continue to find joy in, have fun and embrace what he is doing. ) There is a lot of frustration on missions, but also a lot of opportunity for joy and having a great time. 

My spiritual thought for this week is about patience. Patience is important. Very rarely in life do things work out exactly how we would like when we would like. We come to learn that world does not bow to our every whim and wish. The great thing about this is that it gives us an opportunity to develop patience, and to learn to accept the Lord's timing in all things. His timing is actually what will be best for us in the long run, even when we think that we need something right now. As we develop patience, it is important to not be grudging in our patience and to truly accept the Lord's will and timing. So I invite you all to practice patience this next week.  At home, at school, at play, and at meetings. I know that as you do you will blessed to have the Lord with you and come to better enjoy life, whatever circumstances you may be in. Thanks for all the support and prayers!

-Elder Pickett