Pickett, Taylor PT

Chileans use a lot of English words but with the heaviest Latino accent, and it KILLS ME. I, too, now do it and tell all the hermanas that cook lunch for us, "WOW hermana... que master chef," and even though I think my comps want to beat me up, the rest of the crowd goes wild every time, and I always get a bigger portion of dessert at the end. BEATRIZ GOT BAPTIZED!!! In October, this spiritual queen married a man who used to be a Stake President; however, he went through a rough patch in his life and went inactive, BUT is now returning to the church thanks to Beatriz and her desire for spirituality. Pedro (the husband) baptized her, and it was so tender. Though saying "master chef" in a Nacho Libre accent every day and seeing our friend Beatriz be baptized by her husband are both solid highs of the week, the highlight of the week was a full-day conversation with my comps about how/when we were all able to find true confidence as daughters of God. My parents always w...

I was robbed this week. Well, it's more like I left my water bottle in a public bathroom, and when we went back to find it, the woman working there told me that someone had taken it already. I haven't drunk water in 2 days. ANYWAYS!! This week, I got to participate in an answer to one of my prayers. MANUEL GOT BAPTIZED!!! Five months ago, Hermana Chavez and I got a little lost late one night as we were on our way back home. I was fairly new to the area, so I didn't know the safe/dangerous parts of it; however, on this specific night, it was clear we were not in the safe part of the area. And to make things worse, our phone was about to die. While speed walking in a sketchy alley trying to return to our house before 10:15 pm, someone called, "Do you speak English?" I turned around and could only see a woman in the distance yelling at us (in a language I didn't know) with blonde hair carrying big trash bags. Before we knew it, she began to run in our direction. ...

Pedro got baptized this past Saturday. Pedro is the uncle of a family that recently got baptized, and he is just PURE GOLD. When we met him, he had longer hair and a big beard and would come to church in sweats. Last Friday, we met up in the church, and we were in shock when we realized the man who was waiting outside for us was Pedro!! He cut his hair, trimmed his beard, and was wearing a button-up shirt. We asked him why he cleaned himself up, and he told us he was ready to become a new man and start a new life in Christ. When we arrived at church that next Sunday, he was already seated wearing his gingham button-up shirt with a red tie, looking more content than ever. The conversion story of Pedro is extremely close to my heart. Before we found him, he wasn't sure if anyone loved or needed him. He didn't feel like he had a place in the world anymore, and right when all things were rapidly declining, the gospel of Jesus Christ saved him. It gave him purpose, a family, hope, a...

I have failed as an English teacher. When another missionary asked Hermana Briones (my companion from Chile), "How's your English?" she looked at me proudly and said, "Welcome to my crib." Update: YOU GUYS!! I get a little ill thinking about the fact that a six-week cambio has already flown by. Time is passing too fast. On Wednesday, we found out that Hermana Briones and I are staying together in Peñalolén WUJU but with the addition of THE Hermana Rindlisbaker. Third trio in a row. It's actually been so fun being with Hermana Rindlisbaker because we were in the same zone when I was new, and when she arrived on the mission. She has grown SO MUCH, and it has been so beautiful to see. Legit, I can't think of a sister missionary in the mission who is more spiritual and angel-like than my two companions. I am so blessed. The Spirit is SO STRONG all the time, we are always finding new ways to be more consecrated, and our lessons are SO POWERFUL. I am just soak...

EDUARDO GOT BAPTIZED THIS PAST SATURDAY! This guy kills me, de risa. I have never taught anyone so chill to do and give up anything in order to be baptized. According to the color code test, he would be a solid white with a splash of yellow. We talked to him a couple of weeks ago while he was standing in line to buy bread (as good Chileans do #oncetime), and he seemed so elect in the conversation that I asked him if he was a member of the church pranking us to be interested. After the fifth time of him saying, "No soy miembro," I only kind of believed him. Since then, he has come to church every Sunday, participates in church activities, and loves praying. Though the baptism of Eduardo is a high, this week I had a legit LIFE CHANGING lesson with Juan Vergara and Hermana Pamela. 1 Samuel 16:7 Look not on his countenance... for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. My companion has taught me the importance...

Hello hello! It was a grand week here in Peñalolen with FIRE STUDIES. Through our personal conversion unto Christ, our nature becomes more pure, priorities change, and we are more in-tune with what invites or offends the Spirit. Naturally, our way of life changes in a higher, holier way. People around you, who have not changed, might ask, "What happened to the old you?" They might not feel comfortable around the "new you" (2 Corinthians 5:17) and even make fun of or tease you for your new standards and way of thinking. Though at times we can feel lonely in the process of striving towards Christ with our whole "heart, might, mind, and strength" (D&C 4:2), "we do not lower our standards to fit in" (Sister Becky Craven) yet instead, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we look for ways to elevate others, "lifting them to a higher, holier place where they too can reap greater blessings" through the gospel of Jesus Christ. We do this when our h...