CdE Trippin

Family and friends, it has been quite the week. Loving life, let's get straight to it.


Inspection of Paraguayan healthcare


At the beginning of this week, I started off feeling weird. Basically, I was having these crazy stomach cramps, then that turned into this crazy fever, and then in the end, your boy blacked out. Not fainted, because blacking out sounds way gnarlier. At that point, my comp said, "Brother, we're going to a hospital." For reference, there are two hospitals in Oviedo. The first is nicer but only accepts Paraguayans. Now, believe it or not, I don't really look very Paraguayan because I am white, 6’5”, and barely speak Spanish. When I walk in the streets, people already look at me like I am a reincarnated urban myth or mythological creature or something. So there's no way I'm passing as a Paraguayan at the nice hospital. This left us with the free one. As you can imagine, free healthcare in Paraguay is top of the line, and they spoiled me there. It was like a spa, but instead, they put an IV in me and drew my blood. Haha, it was quite the experience, but it worked. The test said it was nothing, so I'm thinking it was my body adjusting to this place so we're cooling. Ever since, I've been cruising. So don't you go worrying about your boy. I'm talking to you, Mom. Todo es tranquilo aquí.


Conferencia de Zona


On Thursday, we took a little trip over to Ciudad del Este, which is the city on the border of Brazil. We got there just in time to go out and do a little teaching. This is a city with big buildings full of Brazilians, so it was a change. I was also reunited with my boy from the CCM, Elder Weeks. This was so sick. We even got to stay at his apartment and have a little boys' night/sleepover. The actual conference was also so sick. It had me so deep in my spiritual bag, not even King Arthur from Sword in the Stone could have pulled me out. I was thinking about who I am as a missionary and what I could do better to find the elect (people ready to receive the gospel at this time) and effectively bring them to the knowledge of the truth and the restored gospel. I loved it and was grateful not only for this but also for the opportunity to get to know the other elders in zones 8 & 9. Glad to know we got some serious studs in the zones.


Tranquilo Steven


Just a little funny story to wrap up this email. We taught this lesson last night that was awesome. We had our guy Christian; he's 13. At first, we had a little trouble getting him into it. Salvation and stuff is not the most interesting thing to chop it up about when you're 13. Anyway, we finally got him into it and even put down a baptismal date. We were stoked. His dog Steven must have also been excited, a little too excited. So when we got up to leave, my guy Steven was feeling some type of way toward my left leg. He tried to “love up” on my leg and now Steven and my left leg are expecting. Stay posted for the maternity photos of Steven and my leg and let me know who wants to throw the baby shower.


Spiritual thoughts


This week I've been thinking more on the topic of potential and how God sees us. I get an email every week from one of our great family friends, shout out Brother Erickson, and I also watched this amazing talk by Tad R Callister called "Our Identity and Our Destiny." Both of these sources talked about this divine potential and sense of identity, along with this one experience that Moses had. Basically, God shows Moses the workmanship of his hands. Some of this experience is summed up into verse 8 of Moses chapter 1 that reads, “And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered.” After this whole thing, I don't even think we can comprehend the sense of enlightenment and identity that Moses was feeling in this moment. Then Satan came around, as he does, and in verse 12 says, “...Moses, son of man, worship me.” Then Moses hits him back with the coldest response ever in verse 13 that reads, “And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?” There is so much power in this response. Moses truly understands that he is a son of God, and who he is, but more importantly, WHO HE COULD BE. Family and friends, always remember this, you are a child of an all-knowing, all-loving God. We're his kids! With this knowledge comes an ultimate sense of identity and potential.


That's all for this week, brothers and sisters.


You know the drill, if you are in fact a real one, hit the inbox with a life update or an email review. Don't be shy now.


Love you all, get after it this week.


Elder Pickett





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