As y'all know, I got transferred.
As to why it happened so fast, I am not entirely sure. Part of it has to do with the fact that my previous companion was called to train a greenie. So that meant one of us had to leave. Anyways, I am now serving in Jonesboro, Arkansas with Elder Barker. I really miss Batesville, Good things were starting to happening. One of our investigators just out of the blue wanted to be baptized, and another one just started to progress. It was my favorite area so far. But Jonesboro seems like a good place. It is very different, though. The population is over 50,000 so it doesn't have that small town feel. That seems to happen with a mission. Just when when you get situated and comfortable, the Lord throws something at you to keep you on your feet. Never a dull moment.
I honestly had no idea about the severe weather and tornadoes. It must not have been in my area. So don't worry, I am doing all right. Mostly. A few days ago while riding our bikes home, I took a nasty crash. It was dark and the mailbox just came out of nowhere. I am a little sore and scraped up, but nothing serious. The wreck also managed to break my camera. It sucks a lot. Looks like I'll be camera shopping.
Also more with transfers, me and my companion are opening a new area. We have had to start at ground zero; square one. Its been an adventure.
Here's my new address:
111 Daybreak Dr. Apt D-10
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Its going to take a lot of work to get this area going. But we can do it.
Elder Price
(8/3) I Am a Missionary
Hey everyone!
The Arkansas Little Rock Mission ( ALRM) just celebrated its 40th anniversary as a mission. It honestly wasn't what I was expecting. There was a two hour long devotional where previous missionaries and mission presidents came and basically just reminisced about their time in the field. I felt it was somewhat boring and dragged on all night. But there was this awesome missionary choir that just sang so beautifully and livened everything up. I was a part of that choir.
Something that was really cool was the baptism that happened. Her name is Maggie and after just turning 18 was able to be baptized. When i first started my mission and was at the mission home, Maggie came and bore a powerful testimony about the gospel and the greatness of missionary work. I think she does that for all new missionaries. The previous mission president, president Petersen, was the one that performed the baptism. It was such a cool experience.
The work in Batesville is at a turning point. People that have been on the edge have started to lean towards one side, whether for better or worse. One of our investigators is studying Anti and seems to be trying to disprove our religion. The investigator couple we are working with, Chad and Nikki, just broke up. Nikki is still super interested and wants us to continue to come. Something's building up here in Batesville, and I am not sure what's going to happen the next few weeks.
I included on this email a little audio file about missionaries. I thought is was awesome so I decided to share it with everyone. Hope you can actually access the file. If not... That just sucks for you. Now for the scripture!
"Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;" - 2 Timothy 1:8
Witness unto the world the everlasting gospel, Go forth and baptize all nations!!!!
Elder Price
The Arkansas Little Rock Mission ( ALRM) just celebrated its 40th anniversary as a mission. It honestly wasn't what I was expecting. There was a two hour long devotional where previous missionaries and mission presidents came and basically just reminisced about their time in the field. I felt it was somewhat boring and dragged on all night. But there was this awesome missionary choir that just sang so beautifully and livened everything up. I was a part of that choir.
Something that was really cool was the baptism that happened. Her name is Maggie and after just turning 18 was able to be baptized. When i first started my mission and was at the mission home, Maggie came and bore a powerful testimony about the gospel and the greatness of missionary work. I think she does that for all new missionaries. The previous mission president, president Petersen, was the one that performed the baptism. It was such a cool experience.
The work in Batesville is at a turning point. People that have been on the edge have started to lean towards one side, whether for better or worse. One of our investigators is studying Anti and seems to be trying to disprove our religion. The investigator couple we are working with, Chad and Nikki, just broke up. Nikki is still super interested and wants us to continue to come. Something's building up here in Batesville, and I am not sure what's going to happen the next few weeks.
I included on this email a little audio file about missionaries. I thought is was awesome so I decided to share it with everyone. Hope you can actually access the file. If not... That just sucks for you. Now for the scripture!
"Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;" - 2 Timothy 1:8
Witness unto the world the everlasting gospel, Go forth and baptize all nations!!!!
Elder Price
(7/27) No Subject...
Hey family!
Two things real quick:
1) I know that you all love me and think about me often. I was just being my usual sarcastic self.
2) Whats with the pictures of everyone hanging around a bunch of woodchucks?
Batesville is going good. I think it might be my favorite area so far on my mission. the other Elders in the area and my companion and I do lots of stuff together. We hang out on pdays and get lunch all the time. We just have so much fun. Don't worry, we still do lots of missionary work. Right now our top investigators are a young couple that are currently agnostic but are super interested in our teachings. (I am starting to notice a little trend. Young couples seem to be my top investigators in any area) Their names are Chad and Nikki and we have developed a strong friendship with them. They have this project in their backyard called "the thicket". Its a little opening in the foliage where they have tied vines together into a little canopy and the plan is to clear it out a little more and have a little nature hide away. We invited to help them out with the project and they got really excited. it can sometimes be challenging to fit a lesson in with all the friendly conversation that happens. Hopefully things continue to progress and Chad and Nikki get baptized!
This week we were on foot. Even though we have a car all the time, the missions has asked us to take one week out of the month to park the car and bike, or in our case walk. my companion's bike is currently broken. Let me just say that Arkansas summer is horrible. I have never sweated more at one time in my entire life. But I know I will be blessed for it.
"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy." - Alma 29:9
Elder Price
Two things real quick:
1) I know that you all love me and think about me often. I was just being my usual sarcastic self.
2) Whats with the pictures of everyone hanging around a bunch of woodchucks?
Batesville is going good. I think it might be my favorite area so far on my mission. the other Elders in the area and my companion and I do lots of stuff together. We hang out on pdays and get lunch all the time. We just have so much fun. Don't worry, we still do lots of missionary work. Right now our top investigators are a young couple that are currently agnostic but are super interested in our teachings. (I am starting to notice a little trend. Young couples seem to be my top investigators in any area) Their names are Chad and Nikki and we have developed a strong friendship with them. They have this project in their backyard called "the thicket". Its a little opening in the foliage where they have tied vines together into a little canopy and the plan is to clear it out a little more and have a little nature hide away. We invited to help them out with the project and they got really excited. it can sometimes be challenging to fit a lesson in with all the friendly conversation that happens. Hopefully things continue to progress and Chad and Nikki get baptized!
This week we were on foot. Even though we have a car all the time, the missions has asked us to take one week out of the month to park the car and bike, or in our case walk. my companion's bike is currently broken. Let me just say that Arkansas summer is horrible. I have never sweated more at one time in my entire life. But I know I will be blessed for it.
"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy." - Alma 29:9
Elder Price
(7/20) No Subject...
Its always fun as a missionary when you open your email to find it empty; not a single new email the whole week. You just feel so loved.
I will just assume your week was good and things are doing fine on the home front. As for Batesville, it could be better and it could be worse. We have good investigators we are working with that are awesome to teach and show great potential. But it is just that: potential. There is not a whole lot of progress and commitment level is not where I desire it to be. Working with people's agency is frustrating and difficult. It is also very challenging to teach people with broken or circular logic. Down here in the South, the most confusing and misunderstood topic is religion. Everyone has their own definition for religion and set it as the unchangeable, the one and only, indisputable law of the universe, standard. It is almost part of the culture to harden your heart and be stuck in your ways.
The Lord requires of us a "broken heart and a contrite spirit"(See Psalms 51:17; 3 Nephi 5:20; D&C 59:8). Sometimes we need to literally "break" the walls of stone around peoples heart. This is done by boldly proclaiming the truth with the Spirit and power of God. Once the hard heart is shattered, it can be pieced together with the gospel "line upon line, precept upon precept" (2 Nephi 28:30). It takes a lot of work and lot of patience. We also need to make sure we are remaining worthy to have that spirit. Without it, we shall not teach (D&C 42;14).
That is the process we are in right now. Trying to soften and mold peoples hearts with spiritual boldness. Hopefully we see success from it.
Elder Price
I will just assume your week was good and things are doing fine on the home front. As for Batesville, it could be better and it could be worse. We have good investigators we are working with that are awesome to teach and show great potential. But it is just that: potential. There is not a whole lot of progress and commitment level is not where I desire it to be. Working with people's agency is frustrating and difficult. It is also very challenging to teach people with broken or circular logic. Down here in the South, the most confusing and misunderstood topic is religion. Everyone has their own definition for religion and set it as the unchangeable, the one and only, indisputable law of the universe, standard. It is almost part of the culture to harden your heart and be stuck in your ways.
The Lord requires of us a "broken heart and a contrite spirit"(See Psalms 51:17; 3 Nephi 5:20; D&C 59:8). Sometimes we need to literally "break" the walls of stone around peoples heart. This is done by boldly proclaiming the truth with the Spirit and power of God. Once the hard heart is shattered, it can be pieced together with the gospel "line upon line, precept upon precept" (2 Nephi 28:30). It takes a lot of work and lot of patience. We also need to make sure we are remaining worthy to have that spirit. Without it, we shall not teach (D&C 42;14).
That is the process we are in right now. Trying to soften and mold peoples hearts with spiritual boldness. Hopefully we see success from it.
Elder Price
(7/13) DOT Day
In honor of Independence Day, the mission decided to celebrate freedom and liberty by having Defenders Of Truth Day or DOT Day. We had a luau type deal that consisted of a whole hog, fish, chicken, elephant ears, and potatoes; all cooked in a large earth oven. There was also all sorts of fun little games using teamwork and skill including:
-creating an inverted pyramid with soda cans and paper plates
-using multiple strings tied to a rubber band to grab cups and make a tower with them
-the human knot
-balancing little cubes on a stick with your mouth and walking across the gym
-junk in the trunk! tying tissue box filled with ping pong bulls to your butt and then shaking and jumping around to get them all out.
We also had a flag ceremony, a little talent show, and lots of food. It was so much fun!
-creating an inverted pyramid with soda cans and paper plates
-using multiple strings tied to a rubber band to grab cups and make a tower with them
-the human knot
-balancing little cubes on a stick with your mouth and walking across the gym
-junk in the trunk! tying tissue box filled with ping pong bulls to your butt and then shaking and jumping around to get them all out.
We also had a flag ceremony, a little talent show, and lots of food. It was so much fun!
(7/13) Missionary Work & Caverns
This week has been crazy!
Things in Batesville have been going really well. We have some awesome investigators we are working with. One of them, Monica, is practically a dry Mormon. She believes almost everything we believe and our lessons with her are filled with the spirit. Last time we spent two hours outside her apartment sitting on the concrete in the heat. Monica had tears in her eyes for pretty much half the lesson. I can't wait to see her again this coming Thursday. We also found a Golden Investigator family. There names are Sabrina and Danny and they are awesome. We first met them about a week ago as they were heading out the door, so we didn't get to talk to them much. Saturday night we managed to get back in contact with them. Sabrina told us that after our brief encounter, she was very interested in our message. They recently moved and are looking for a church to attend. It is just a perfect opportunity.
Then last Friday we had a huge missionary party/luau title DOT Day. So much happened there that I have to put it in a separate email.
Last Monday for P-day, us and the other Batesville Elders went cave exploring with a member. We had to drive down a dirt "road" (more like horse trail), cross a stream, and traverse through the tick invested foliage. But I always love a good adventure.
"And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work." - 2 Nephi 3:8
Elder Price
Things in Batesville have been going really well. We have some awesome investigators we are working with. One of them, Monica, is practically a dry Mormon. She believes almost everything we believe and our lessons with her are filled with the spirit. Last time we spent two hours outside her apartment sitting on the concrete in the heat. Monica had tears in her eyes for pretty much half the lesson. I can't wait to see her again this coming Thursday. We also found a Golden Investigator family. There names are Sabrina and Danny and they are awesome. We first met them about a week ago as they were heading out the door, so we didn't get to talk to them much. Saturday night we managed to get back in contact with them. Sabrina told us that after our brief encounter, she was very interested in our message. They recently moved and are looking for a church to attend. It is just a perfect opportunity.
Then last Friday we had a huge missionary party/luau title DOT Day. So much happened there that I have to put it in a separate email.
Last Monday for P-day, us and the other Batesville Elders went cave exploring with a member. We had to drive down a dirt "road" (more like horse trail), cross a stream, and traverse through the tick invested foliage. But I always love a good adventure.
"And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work." - 2 Nephi 3:8
Elder Price
(7/6) No Subject...
How's all my peeps doin!
This last week was transfers so I'm no longer in Cabot. But I left on a good note. We had a baptism lined up and some potential to be harvested. I know that God is watching over that area. As for my new residence for the next six weeks (or more), I will be in Batesville Arkansas! Whooo! My new companion is Elder Oblad and is my first companion from Utah. All the other ones have been from a different state. But things are real good here. Although it is a branch, the members are super friendly and have such wonderful spirits about them. The regular people of Batesville are equally friendly and will actually let you share the gospel with them, even if they are not interested! So much different from Cabot. I all ready feel a love for this area and the people in it. 4th of July was interesting. There was a huge firework festival thing so we decided to check it out and maybe talk to a few people about the Gospel. We didn't have any success. There was actually a lady going around giving everyone Anti-Mormon pamphlets. It was interesting. We managed to see about six minutes of the fireworks which accounted for our celebration. Other than that, it was a regular day of missionary work.
"But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent." -1 Kings 5:4
Good things are about to happen
Elder Price
This last week was transfers so I'm no longer in Cabot. But I left on a good note. We had a baptism lined up and some potential to be harvested. I know that God is watching over that area. As for my new residence for the next six weeks (or more), I will be in Batesville Arkansas! Whooo! My new companion is Elder Oblad and is my first companion from Utah. All the other ones have been from a different state. But things are real good here. Although it is a branch, the members are super friendly and have such wonderful spirits about them. The regular people of Batesville are equally friendly and will actually let you share the gospel with them, even if they are not interested! So much different from Cabot. I all ready feel a love for this area and the people in it. 4th of July was interesting. There was a huge firework festival thing so we decided to check it out and maybe talk to a few people about the Gospel. We didn't have any success. There was actually a lady going around giving everyone Anti-Mormon pamphlets. It was interesting. We managed to see about six minutes of the fireworks which accounted for our celebration. Other than that, it was a regular day of missionary work.
"But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent." -1 Kings 5:4
Good things are about to happen
Elder Price
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