You guys are best family I have ever had!!
My brothers said more in those brief sentences than I could have hoped for. It was just what I needed. Tell everyone that I love and miss them too (maybe not as much as you guys). It really is a blessing to hear from you.
Can you believe that one month ago you were dropping me off at the MTC. I don't know how you feel about that, but time has a completely different meaning on a mission. I am really sorry about the pictures. I just get so focused on the work and things are just so busy that I don't have time and sometimes I forget that I even can take pictures. Also I am not like mom taking pictures of everything and everyone at all times. But I will try harder from now on.
Last week was pretty crazy. On Tuesday Elder Zwick of the Seventy and his wife came to speak to us. It was amazing. I really felt my testimony grow and was inspired to better myself and improve. There was a lot of traveling involved as it took place in North Little Rock so we stayed a few nights with elders closer to that area. It was a lot of early mornings and late nights so we were exhausted throughout the week. On top of that we didn't have hardly any luck with our investigators and people to teach. It was just a rough week.
Speaking of improving myself, me and Elder Mulvey are starting what is called the 40 Day Fast. So it is not fasting from food for 40 days but instead fasting from temptations and distractions for 40 days. To begin we had to fast for an entire 24 hours. It was the hardest thing I had ever had to do so far on my mission. During that fast we were to keep a list of things that distract or keep us from the fullness of the spirit. We would constantly pray and anything the spirit prodded at we would write down on that list. That part we did yesterday. Now for the next 40 days we have to avoid doing anything on that list. Everyday we pray and ask God to help give us strength. To pray for forgiveness and to try harder if we fall short. At the end of the 40 days we should be fully in tune with spirit and an effective instrument of the Lord. Since we are fairly obedient missionaries almost everything on our list has to do with our thoughts. Such as thinking about food, about home and our families, about the things of the world. It is going to be extremely difficult to control our thoughts.
As for our investigators, there isn't much to go on. What normally happens is we find someone who seems interested and we schedule a return appointment. Then we try to see them again and they either don't answer or don't care. This happens so many times. At least we have about 7 solid investigators. The first two is the Smith family. They really love the church and agree with all the teachings. They are true Golden Investigators. The only problem is that they're both truckers so we never get to meet with them and teach a lesson. The rest of our actual investigators is a group of black kids who are all brothers or cousins. Their names are Jabre, Jatario, Kelby, Corey, and Derrea. It is actually really funny how we found them. So a few days before I got here, Elder Mulvey and his companion had passed by Jabre many times. So one day he's all like, "how come you guys never come talk to me?" Then when I came we went to teach Jabre the Restoration. It started off as us just teaching him only, but he would drag his brothers and cousins into the lessons saying, "get over here. You need Jesus in your life too. You need to hear what mister Mulvey and mister Price are saying." Jabre is just amazing. He always has great questions and is very interested in what we have to teach. He is just what this branch needs.
I am not sure what you guys can do about this, but I don't think my debit card is working. It keeps saying that it is invalid. I hopefully don't need it at all right now, but I don't want to get caught in a tight situation. As for things to send, letters and food is always a blessing. Oh, and recipes. I need recipes or meal ideas that don't require meat (too expensive), take less than an hour to make, and requires just basic ingredients. I know it is a difficult request; you don't have to do it. But I would really appreciate it.
Just to make sure, my address is:
303 W 23rd Street Apartment E6
Hope, Arkansas 71801
Well, only 23 more months to go. I love y'all so much!!
Elder Price