(2/16) No subject...

Hot Dang!! So much is going on right now; both here in the field and back home. Things have just changed so much and I've only been out five and a half months! By the time my two years is done I'll come home to a completely different world. That scares me.

What's this about Alex being homeschooled? How's he doing? I just feel bad not being there for him or for any of y'all. It's one of those things that makes a mission hard that nobody warns you about. But if everyone knew exactly how challenging a mission would be no one would go!

Well, I am joyed to here you have had a good president's weekend. How did my brothers enjoy Meet the Mormons? I thought it was really good and like dad was saying, it was a lot better than what I was expecting. I actually got a chance to watch it as part of a meeting. It was shown to the mission way back in October before it came out in theaters (Holy beans that was forever ago). I wouldn't mind watching it again. It's actually on my list. I am keeping a list of movies, songs, tv shows, etc of stuff for when I return. Speaking of that, Sorella Price has only got a couple weeks left! How's it feel? Not too stressful, I hope.

It has been quite a week. We had exchanges in which I stayed in the area and had to take lead. The Elder I was on exchanges with has been out just as long as me so wasn't the most experienced. It was up to me to make sure our investigators got the spiritual edification they needed. No pressure. I learned a lot about leadership that day, mainly that being a leader sucks. Almost all our investigators dropped us, we were late to our dinner appointment, and I did not get along with my temporary companion. It was a rough exchange.

We also almost lost Dianna. On Wednesday we got a voicemail from her saying to cancel our appointment for Friday. I was freaking out thinking that it was my fault. During the exchange we actually taught Dianna a lesson and it did not go very well. We called her back and found out that she had got in an argument with her parents over the things we were teaching so her parents banned us from stepping foot on their property. What's a miracle is that Dianna still wants to learn and still came to church on Sunday. Yep, all the excitement of being a missionary.

Hope you continue in the Gospel and reap the blessings.

I love you all!
Elder Price

This winter has been very strange. I was surprised to know that in Utah there isn't snow.
The winter here in Arkansas has been very mild. There were a few days that were cold, but
its mostly been in the 50's and 60's. Until today. I finally got my first ice storm.
I was quite excited to wake up to a world covered in ice. It may look like snow
but it is just solid ice. I am just so happy that it finally looks like winter!
Hope you get some snow! (except not you Sorella Price. You are in Italy and don't get snow)

(2/9) No subject...

Hey!! How's life going?

Not much happened this week. Just the usual missionary schtuff. We are really working with Dianna to get her committed to baptism. The thing holding her back is that she wants to really know that the Book of Mormon is true first. Not a bad thing. Whats frustrating is that we feel God has already told her its true. This last time we met with Dianna she told us how she feels good when she reads. Dianna is such a solid investigator. She comes to church on her own and even asked us about the time change at the start of the year. Dianna! Just get baptized!

In other news, I tried alligator this week. It was actually at the dinner when you got the mystery text. The member that sent the picture is actually in the Jacksonville ward which is right next to Cabot. We actually share the building. And yes I am getting quite adept at volleyball. Every tuesday evening we have volleyball. It is a plan to fellowship investigators and is less intense then full out church. When I first got here, I had a not so christlike attitude about it. I'm sure you're aware of my previous opinion on volleyball and other sport activities. But now I look forward to it.

Have a great week!

Elder Price

(2/2) A New Month

What's up y'all!

I would like to say a few words about the package. First and foremost, THANK YOU!! I feel so loved to get a package just because. I greatly appreciated the contents and I'm very excited for the Random fruit snacks. The chips weren't too crushed. As you may have noticed patience is something I have improved on since being on a mission. Its just one of the things you have to learn. Also, be expecting a package from me within these next few weeks. Don't get too excited. It's more of a favor than a gift. (Everything will make sense in due time)

January is finally over! It was probably the longest month of my mission, and maybe even my life. I don't know why it was so long, but the days just felt longer than the laws of this earth should allow. I guess your January was different. Anyways, we had a decent week. It was a lot better compared to the rest of the month. What really made it awesome was the people we were able to work with this past week. We found this awesome couple that we were able to set a baptismal date with. Haven't taught them much... yet. Hopefully the more we teach them the more committed they will be. I really don't want them to be those investigators that push away the more they learn about the church, as Sorella Price was saying. Also we had a really good lesson with Dianna. After weeks her being busy we are now starting to get regular teaching appointments with her. We had a lesson about the first parts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ how there is only one way towards salvation. Then we really hit hard on repentance. The spirit in that lesson was unmistakable and very hard to miss.

Things are going well here in Cabot. It is still a hard area, but that doesn't mean there is no work to do. I am here for a reason; I have a responsibility I cannot shirk. Being idle in the gospel is a sin. I'll be praying for y'all!

Elder Price

Here's a picture of my beautiful face (because you asked for it)

(1/26) No subject...

Hey y'all!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading y'alls responses about my previous email. Priceless! I hope to maintain my name-brand sense of humor. So I got the package and was very intrigued as to the contents. I have yet to open it but now know it has something to do with chips. (However, by the time you read this email I will have come to a perfect knowledge of its mysteries.) Speaking of packages, did y'all get my Christmas letter I sent many weeks ago? If not it would make me very sad :( I put a lot of thought and time into that. Anyways, I cannot believe just how much things change in the matter of a few months. You guys aren't the same family I left 5 months ago!!! Even the house is different. It is just difficult to come to terms that nothing will ever, EVER, be the same again.

So this past Sunday our ward started up a Preach My Gospel course. The goal is to help members become familiar and more comfortable using PMG to do member-missionary work. This first was one was just an introductory lesson about what to expect from the course. I think the PMG classes will be a great thing to have. Preach My Gospel is just awesome. I have a testimony that it is truly inspired writing. Elder Farnsworth thinks it should be part of the standard works.

It is so weird to think that Sorella Price has one transfer left. Where has the time gone?! I kinda feel left out. It's a strange thought that I will be the lone missionary. I'll just have to wait till Tori goes on her mission. I still have so much time! Not sure if that's a blessing or a burden.

This week wasn't all that exciting. The work is still going slow, people still don't want to talk to us, and we still don't have any baptismal dates lined up. Cabot is a tough area. The demographics is mainly affluent white people. Most of them (kindly) reject us. All though its a hard mission down in the south I haven't had doors slammed in my face...yet. Southern Hospitality is a true principle. Folks are just nice down here. On a positive note the weather hasn't been bad. Not bad at all. It has been fairly warm, upper 40's mid 50's, these past weeks.
Arkansas weather is weird.

 Well, hope y'all have a great week!

 Elder Price signing off

(1/19) Weekly Events

Hey y'all!

This week was interesting. Lots of new and exciting adventures I'm sure you're waiting anxiously to hear about. It was full of spiritual experiences, hardships, testimony and faith building, all sorts of missionary things. Each and every day I woke up wondering what was ahead. I love y'all and hope you rejoice in the gospel!

Have a blessed day








 ... Nah, I'm just messin' with ya :D But a lot really did happen this week. I had a nice little experience teaching a lesson that is sure to make a great story. We met this guy, Billy, while walking around and he seemed pretty interested. We managed to get a return appointment despite his crazy work schedule. When we came back about a week later we knocked on the door and no one answered. Being good missionaries we knocked again. Still nothing. Then just as we were about to turn away and walk off, the door opened and Billy's girlfriend answered the door. She said he was in the shower and would be ready in a few minutes if we could wait. So we waited for what seemed like 20 minutes (it was only 7) and finally Billy came out. We started going in to How to Begin Teaching when he cut us off and told us he had to run some errands. But we were determined. We were going to teach that lesson. He suggested we could come with him and share our message. It was weird and uncomfortable at times, but we ended up teaching Billy the restoration and the plan of salvation in his car and while he shopped at home depot.

A major change took place in the Cabot area. We got sister missionaries back! Before I got here there were sisters. The transfer I came to Cabot they left. Now we have them back. It is very weird to have another set of missionaries in the same area.

This weekend was also stake conference. I got to attend an adult session for the first time. It was really great. We had an area seventy there, Elder Thompson, who was very energetic and had a nice sense of humor. President Wakolo was there too and shared a really neat experience he had. One time in Fiji he was out teaching with the missionaries. They were talking to someone when a very large drunk man started yelling at them. President Wakolo turned to the drunk man and very boldly stated,"Stay right there. We will get to you next." The man sopped right where he was. The missionaries finished talking to the other person and went over to the drunk man. President Wakolo turned to the missionaries and said, "Let me handle this one." He went over to the drunk man, looked him right in the eyes, and told him,"God loves you." The man fell onto President Wakolo's shoulder and just cried. It was a very spiritual experience. I can bear testimony that God does love each and every one of us.

I was also part of the stake choir. Friday night our bishop texted us that the choir was in desperate need of members. Being the awesome missionaries we are Elder Farnsworth and I decided to save the day. There was a lot of other missionaries that were in the choir so we weren't alone. It went well. Despite having little to no practice the spirit was able to fill in where the choir lacked.

It was a good week. Lets just say my spirit was well nourished.
I love y'all so much and so does God!

Its the Day of the South!!
Elder Price

(1/12) Disclaimer

Hello all y'all!

Well, this week was...difficult. It is true that I am enjoying my mission and having wonderful experiences. For all those who may be planning to serve a mission, I give a word of caution and forewarning: IT IS HARD! There will be struggles and trials and tribulations. This week was one of those times. After a week of investigators dropping us, people rejecting us at their doors, and plans falling through, I am ready to take a nap. This is where enduring to the end comes in.

As for Diana, her father is in the hospital and she is there with him every day so we have not been able to see her at all. We had set a date with another investigator but haven't been able to see him at all either. So we really have no idea what is going on.

Another thing that sucked was that church was cancelled this past Sunday due to the possibility of ice. Everyone kept telling me how hot Arkansas is going to be and how much it sucks in the summer with all the humidity. What everyone forget to mention was the cold. I can tell you that it is just as cold in the winter as it is hot in summer. The temperature may only say 28 degrees but the humidity makes it worse. Its a wet cold that penetrates through every layer of clothing and gets into your bones. In Utah they get snow. In Arkansas they get freezing rain. Everything gets coated in a layer of ice and the whole town shuts down. The roads are dangerous and the weight of the ice brings down trees and power lines. We didn't actually get any freezing rain (yet) but the Bishop didn't want to take any chances. So we had to find something else to do during those 4 hours. We ended up doing some service jump-starting a member's car and helping an elderly member move Christmas decorations into their attic.

I got some hope while reading Sorella Price's letter. It is nice to know that the work is moving forward somewhere in the world. Good job Italy missionaries! :D
But in reality we did have some good things happen this week. While doing an exchange I found a potential investigator with 9 kids. Families are always good to find. We also had an unexpected unplanned dinner appointment.

Despite the trying times, I still know that this work is true. Trials are just a part of life and a requirement for a mission.

Love y'all and have a blessed day!
Elder Price

Say "hi" to my district!

(1/5) Q&A

Greetings, people!

Not much happened this week. Because of the continuation of the holidays (mainly new years) everyone was too busy to teach. We still talked with everyone but they told us to "come back after the holidays. We're busy right now." It has been a good while since we have seen really any of our investigators. Things should start picking up now that schedules are returning to normal and people are less busy. We did have a break through with are top investigator. Her name is Diana and Elder Farnsworth had been working with her before I got here. She wasn't progressing and there was possibly a supernatural influence. But this past week after sitting down and just teaching we were able to set a baptismal date.

Now to answer your questions. I did not try the collard greens. Sadly we did not have time as we were late to our next dinner appointment and had to swiftly depart. So I do not know whether I like them or not. That wonderful lady was Sister Angele. I can testify that "southern hospitality" exists and she is a physical representation of that. Her son is actually preparing to serve a mission right now. We did indeed have much food on Christmas. 3 1/2 meals later we were very full (1/2 a meal because we snacked at the Angele's). I did not get to do any dishes. Its not because I am unhelpful or lazy. Trust me, we offer to help but people in the south just don't accept service. They are too nice. The only dishes I have had to do on my mission is in our own apartment.

I have got some questions of my own. First off, is there any one else that would like to receive this email? Any friends or extended family members? If so I will need their email address. Also, what kind of things do you want me to bring back from my mission? Any attributes, talents, recipes, skills, etc. This one is for Sorella Price. What are the mission traditions you have come across and/or implement? It would also be great to have continued updates on how things are going back home. I do enjoy hearing about your great and marvelous adventures. One last thing. Any suggestions for a southern phrase to end my emails? (I'm sure my brothers might have some good ideas)

In the mean time... Have a blessed day!
Elder Price