GREETINGS FROM VALDOSTA, GEORGIA! Sept. 22, 2014

Hey Everyone!!                                                          Sept. 22, 2014

 Well I was transferred to Valdosta! My new companion is Sister Wheelwright. She has been out for six months and she is an interesting soul. She is healthy though so that is good! She is at that six month mark when you are exhausted all the time and have a hard time being motivated to be a missionary. It is a good area. It needs a little work, kind of like Columbus when I got there but we will get it going! We just got a new ward mission leader on Sunday who seems really enthusiastic and really wants to help the missionaries so that is great! I guess the last ward mission leader wasn't as enthusiastic. We have some pretty good people we are working with, we just need to increase our teaching pool a little. Our district is also very interesting. They aren't the most obedient lot so that has been kind of a struggle. Our apartment has another set of sisters living with us so there are four of us in the apartment. That is also very interesting. I have never lived with other sisters before. I haven't decided how I feel about it. Sometimes it's fun and sometimes its not. We are also the only people in our district with a car. The two sets of Elders are on bikes and the other sisters were just made walking sisters. Personally I would rather have a bike than walk everywhere but President still says not sisters on bikes. Ok so I will walk you through my week. It feels like it has lasted an eternity. Last Monday we went and said good-bye to everyone and actually taught a bunch of lessons. It was pretty great! One of the ward members had a friend visiting from Colorado who wasn't a member and she wanted us to teach her a lesson because apparently the missionaries in Colorado weren't so stellar. That went really well! We had a really great discussion. It was a really great last night in Columbus! Then the next day was transfers! That is always an exciting day. I didn't get put in a place until the very end! I was sitting with one of the sisters from the next area over and we just kept not getting called then finally we got put in the same area with different companions! She is in the YSA branch and I am serving in the family ward. I am now in Valdosta! It is right next to Florida. Seriously the Florida-Georgia line is probably like 20 minutes away. The best part is, there is a wildlife place not too far away we can go to and there are alligators there!!! My whole mission I have wanted to see an alligator!! We probably won't go today but one of these P-days we are going. Valdosta has been an interesting adjustment. There are some really cool people here though! We have a person we are teaching named Tina who is getting baptized on Saturday. She is pretty cool. Other than that we don't have many progressing investigators so we are working on that. We did get a really great member referral who has been to church twice and seems really cool. We are going to go over to their house to teach her on Friday. The city is a lot smaller than Columbus so that is interesting. I mean it's still a pretty big city, just not the second biggest city in Georgia like Columbus is. We have a lot of small towns on the edge of the city that are in our area because the elders can't bike there. We have plans to go out there this week because we have some extra miles. Oh! Another thing. When I got here our car had broken down so it was in the shop so I spent the first day and a half walking. That was interesting not too bad I probably wouldn't mind walking it wasn't super hot so that helped. I am just so glad it is cooler here! There are bugs though. There are these things called love bugs here and they just fall from the sky and they are super ugly! They aren't bad right now, there are only a couple here and there but apparently they get way worse! Other than that the bugs aren't that much worse here. We have a gym that we go to three times a week so that is nice! I really enjoy that. It's a good area though! There is a lot of promise and most of the members I have met are really nice! I hope everyone has had a good week! I think I had a spiritual thought but I forgot it because my brain is way overloaded right now. I will have one next week I promise! All I can say is "Obedience brings blessings" now to try and implement this idea in a nice way to this new district!   Everyone who can should go to the Ogden temple for me! I love you all and hope you have a great week!  Good luck to the Harrops on Caleb's farewell this coming Sunday, in some ways it is good since you know that you are about ready to embark on your mission adventure but in other ways it is really weird that it is "Your Farewell"!!  Will pray for you all, prayer is strength!!

Love,   Sister Price

GOOD-BYE COLUMBUS, I WILL MISS YOU!! SEPT. 15, 2014

Hey Everyone!

     Ok well it has been quite the week. I am getting transferred! I think it is good. I have no idea where I will go but I am sure I will love it! This has been a really good week. We have been really busy and it has been rather exhausting. Tuesday was kind of a normal day and we had a lesson with Brittani and Diamond. We were talking with Brittani about when she was getting baptized since everyone had a feeling that I would be transferred and she wanted to be baptized before I left but we didn't really come to a decision that day. Then we spent most of Wednesday helping them move because they were moving from a two bedroom apartment to a one bedroom apartment. They also have a lot of stuff! It was fun though, all of the elders were there helping. Brittani's in-laws flew in from California(both Brittani and her husband are from CA) to stay with them for a few weeks so they are also here. It has been fun getting to know them. Then later we were talking about her baptism and when it was going to be and she was just like "Surprise,well it's this Saturday" and we were like uh it is? So she got baptized on Saturday! It was way cool! On Thursday we had ZTM and that was really good. Our district had to do a skit on unity so we just decided to dramatize things we had decided to do as a district to help us be more unified a few weeks ago. We did a mock district meeting that was terrible to show us being really un-unified and then we made goals to work on and just really over played them. It was fun! I forgot to have someone record it though so I am really sorry. Thursday afternoon we had a really good lesson with Jennifer! Jennifer is a referral from Sister Hester, she is someone she works with. We haven't been able to get in touch with Jennifer and then Wednesday Sister Hester called us up and was like, let's go see Jennifer tomorrow! We were like ok! It was a really good lesson, Sister Hester is super awesome! She got baptized a year ago and is going to start temple prep soon. Then we went and contacted a media referral who is super awesome! She has been learning about the gospel from a guy who lives in Auburn that she works with. She was super excited about coming to church and she has a Book of Mormon she has been reading and everything! She has pretty much told us she knows the church is true so that is really cool! Friday we had a lesson with Carrie and it went well. We also helped Brittani move for a lot of the day. Actually we helped her put things away and I basically cooked them dinner while people moved stuff. Then Saturday morning was transfer calls! They are always really suspenseful and President always likes to drag them out. I got read off at the very beginning that I was being transferred! Saturday we mostly visited people and said good-bye and I packed. I have so much stuff! It's kind of ridiculous. Then we had Brittani's baptism on Saturday! It went really well. Her husband baptized her and he was super nervous because he has never baptized anyone but he was trying to pretend he wasn't nervous. He did really well though and he did it right the first time but forot to bring her hand up so she could plug her nose! A bit of a drowning then!  Brittani also baked herself a cake because she said Brandon got cake at his baptism so she wanted a cake too! The Spanish group was also having a party and they had tons of extra food so after the baptism we went over and joined their party and had cake! It was really fun. The Spanish group should have parties that coincide with all of our baptism!. Then Brother Jones confirmed her on Sunday and that was really good! Church was really good yesterday, all of the speakers and teachers did a really good job. Yesterday we said good-bye to Diamond and Destini. Tonight we are going by the Lee's and Carrie's and the Carter's. We are also teaching a lesson to a lady in the ward's friend who is visiting who she wants to learn about the church. Busy to the end!  Should be interesting.  Our mission is getting in 22 Elders and 1 Sister,14 Sisters are going home so our mission will be very low on Sisters, that's OK few in number but Powerful in Spirit!  I feel I will either go to the Savannah area over by the coast or Tifton area over by Florida Sorry this email is kind of short, I am a little frazzled! I will send pictures of everything! Pray for me in my new area, I love you all and have a great week! 

Love,

Sister Price

 

P.S. Bishopric changes in the Home Ward! Bishop England you have served awesomely and a long time! Thanks for your guidance and support in my decision to serve a mission and for letting me glean from your wisdom in sharing our Wards Mission Statement out here in the Mission Field. You have been a good example of Service, Mosiah 2:17. You have had some super good counselors. You have served well and will not have much time to rest, the Gospel is Service.   Sister Price

PICTURES OF BRITTANI'S BAPTISM! DIAMOND, DESTINI AND COLUMBUS, GA, SEPT. 2014

BRITTANI AND HER HUSBAND AND HER SUPER CUTE LITTLE GIRL-BRITTANI'S BAPTISM  SEPT. 13, 2014

SIS. PRICE, BRITTANI, SIS. SEVY

SIS. PRICE, SIS. SEVY AND DESTINI

DIAMOND AND SIS. PRICE, SEPT. 2014

POOFY CLOUDS! SEPT. 2014

COOL SUNSET IN COLUMBUS, SEPT. 2014

PICTURES OF DIAMONDS BAPTISM AND THE ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE GROUP! SEPT. 8, 2014

ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE P-DAY ACTIVITY-ELDER FANCHINE-BUCKET HEAD, SIS. PORTER, SIS. TEVI IN THE BACK, UNKOWN ELDER, SIS. SEVY, SIS. PRICE, ELDER BYNOE, ELDER JONES-BLUE TIE IN THE BACK.

DIAMONDS BAPTISM!! SIS. SEVY, BRO. CARTER, DIAMOND, SIS. PRICE

Diamond got Baptized! September 8, 2014

Hey Everyone!

 

    Ok well this was an exciting week. Tuesday after we emailed and saw Brittani we were home eating dinner and Sister Sevy went to tuck her legs underneath herself and I heard this loud pop and she did something to her knee and it has been hurting really bad this past week. I think she needs to live in a bubble. She is kind of like Joelie, if there is the possibility for her to hurt herself, she will. Our ward mission leader wasn't very happy about it and then the next morning we had interviews with President Cottle and he just kind of rolled his eyes. It was pretty funny. Diamond is doing great and her baptism went really well! She has now gone 9 days without smoking, which is pretty amazing. Her baptismal interview was on Wednesday and at the last minute we found out she had to be interviewed by someone else, which was nerve-wracking but we pulled it off and she passed her interview! It has been super hot again this week and really muggy. There have been a lot of afternoon thunderstorms, which have been cool. Thunderstorms here are different than they are in Utah. I think something about the mountains makes them different in Utah. We didn't have our best week this week, we are trying to find new investigators since we are baptizing all of ours but its hard because Sister Sevy doesn't feel good and I have to figure out how much to push her to do missionary work without killing her. It's a very delicate balance. I do a lot of personal study by myself when she is having a bad day, I loved the nice long talks you sent me from Elder Holland from 2000 and the other talks from Elder Bednar the more in depth of the talk the better!!  I love to study and cross reference, I love the scriptures I could just "swim" in them all the time, they never get old and I always learn new things!!  We had a media referral of this guy who was from Nepal. He had an accent that Dad would love! He was cool, he wants to learn about our church because he is interested in religion and he always hears bad things about Mormons but he thinks we can't be that bad! He is totally going to get baptized. We had to give him to the Elders because he is a single guy. We looked up the church in Nepal and the closest church is in India, so I don't even know if there are very many members there. I'm sure there are branches and more than I can find because I don't get a lot of internet access to find out these questions.  Mostly this week we spent the week preparing Diamond for her baptism! We also saw Brittani and she is doing really well. Her in-laws are coming for a three week visit and they are moving to a different apartment this week so that is going to be busy! Diamonds baptism was great, I gave the talk and there was a good turnout. She is super excited to do Family History and to have a calling and lots of things! She is really cool. Carrie is still struggling a bit, we aren't sure what is wrong or how to help her and she won't really tell us so we are a bit stumped with that. This is the last week of this transfer! Ah! I have no idea if I am leaving or staying so probably don't send me any mail after Wednesday. It could go either way! I can't believe I have been here for 4 transfers, it doesn't even feel that long at all. We have been taking some Laurels out with us a lot lately and this ward has some amazing Young Women! They all have really strong testimonies and a couple of them want to go on missions and they are always super excited to go out with us. It's really cool! Yesterday during the sacrament I was reading through a few of the hymns and I really liked the last few phrases of Hymn 179, As Now we Take the Sacrament. It says "as now we praise thy name with song, the blessings of this day will linger in our thankful hearts, and silently we pray for courage to accept thy will, to listen and obey. We love thee, Lord; our hearts are full. We'll walk thy chosen way." I really loved how it says we pray for courage to accept thy will. That is really difficult sometimes! It is definitely something that takes courage. I like that it doesn't just say we pray to accept they will, it's we pray for courage to accept thy will. I pray for courage all the time because pretty much everything about being a missionary scares me! Sorry this is a shorter email, but I hope everyone has  a great week! I love you all!

Love,

Sister Price

P.S.  I could open the two videos- Mom and Dad you got Ice Bucketed!  Caleb got you both good!! Thanks for sharing, I know that Dad donated but you were good sports.  Next I don't even know what to say about the Taryn video!  Oh you crazy neighbors, it was a great laugh for me!  Wow Robb you shaved your head!!  Taryn did you cut your hair!!  I have not seen any pictures of you all for so long!!  Oh, I think I am going to trim my hair, it is to my waist but the ends need trimmed off and I'm Hot and sweaty all the time!! Oh and wish me luck in inventing a skit on UNITY it always seems to be things on unity for missionary work, Thanks for the quote and the idea for doing the City of Enoch and the box idea, I can work with this.  Love you all!!

11 MONTHS!! September 2, 2014

Hey Everyone!

  Ok well this has been quite the week. I have to remember a lot since we are emailing a day late and it is kind of a struggle for my missionary brain but here goes. Last Monday we went and saw Cheryl and she said that she was too stressed and didn't want us to come over anymore. There was a lot more to the conversation but that was basically the jist of it. She just talks a lot. I actually was not as sad as I thought I would be. She hasn't been progressing the last few weeks and she has been complaining a lot about things that she could fix if she just put her mind to it so her dropping us kind of felt like letting go of a friend who is dragging you down. I know that sounds kind of harsh, but that's what it felt like. It's kind of nice. We had a really good district meeting, Elder Brooks had Sister Sevy and I give a training on the last page of PMG. We made goals as a district of things we could improve on and one was how to help the Elders get up on time! We decided that we would call the Elders every morning at 6:25 to make sure they were up and going! It has been quite entertaining. Elder Jones always has the phone and he is NOT  morning person so calling him every morning is very entertaining. On Wednesday we had exchanges with Phenix City. Can I tell you it has been so nice this transfer not having to go on exchanges every week and worry about all of the other sisters? Best thing that has happened to our area. I went to Phenix City and it was pretty fun! Sister Baker is who I went with and she is from St. George and is very happy and excited. I like her a lot. Sister Araujo (she is one of the temple square missionaries, she is from Portugal) came here to Columbus with Sister Sevy. Sister Sevy wasn't feeling well so that was kind of a struggle, I was really worried about her the whole time because I kind of have PTSD from when Sister McNeely tried to die on exchanges so I am always worried I am going to come back to a dead companion. When I got back we went to visit a lady named Rose. She is Catholic and her husband used to be a member but they have been coming to church since they moved here. She had back surgery a few weeks ago so we have been visiting her lately to help her with things and answer questions. She has concerns like why we don't stand during prayers at church and why we don't wear crosses and why women can't have the priesthood. She is nice though and I like visiting her. We are going to go over the lessons with her though because she has been exposed to it a lot, but she doesn't know the basics. Then we went and saw Diamond, she has a baptismal date for this Saturday! We have been trying to help her quit smoking which has been quite the struggle! She was really struggling on Saturday with feeling depressed and like a failure and feeling like she couldn't quit smoking. We were on the phone with her almost the whole day. Later in the day we had the Elders give her a blessing and then we went over the 15 step no smoking program with her. The Zone leaders told us about it and so far it has been really successful! It involves a lot of cinnamon toothpaste and mouthwash which sounds super disgusting to me but it has been working so far. Pray that she will be able to stay smoke free so she can get baptized on Saturday! She is really nice though and she really wants to learn and change. She is pretty awesome. We also went with the new Relief Society pres Sister Lewis to visit a less active family on Saturday. She was really nervous and we had met with them before so she wanted us to go along. She is really nice, I really like her! The Lee's are doing awesome, they are progressing right along. They are super funny. Sister Lee has set two baptism for herself. She is going to be baptized on Sept 20 which is a Saturday, unless I get transferred and then she is going to be baptized Sept 15 because she wants to do it before I leave. She is very adamant about it too. They are pretty awesome! I think she is going to drag Brother Lee right along in the gospel which is a very good thing. He has been participating and joining in on our lessons lately and everything! We haven't been able to see Carrie because she has been out of town but we have a lesson with her tonight so pray that it goes well! We are going to be kind of bold with her so we are really praying and I am fasting today so we can be prepared as we can be! Alright well now I have to tell you about P-day yesterday. I got Mom's letter last week about the ice bucket challenge, so we told the Elders and they were totally down to do it. Then yesterday morning we decided to last minute invite the Zone Leaders and then their whole district ended up being in on it also. It was tons of fun! We aren't sure if we did it right because we had no examples to watch but we did it our way! We video-ed it and Elder Brooks is going to be putting it together so I should be sending a copy of it home sometime. It was lots of fun and the cold water felt SO GOOD because it has been so hot lately! It seriously feels like death. It does not feel like a sauna because sauna's are nice and relaxing and you can chill and then get out. Here it feels like all of your energy is zapped as soon as you step outside and like you are suddenly trying to breathe water. I just tell myself that it should be cooling off in a few weeks and I only have one summer here. That's what is getting me through right now. That is pretty much my week! One interesting thing that I noticed this week. We were teaching Diamond the Law of Chastity this week so I was reading through the pamphlet before we taught her. One of the sections in the pamphlet talks about language and how having uplifting language and not calling others degrading names is part of the Law of Chastity. Not that I ever called people those kinds of names but I never realized that part of keeping the Law of Chastity is not using that kind of language. You learn something new every day! I was also studying about keeping the commandments this week and I really liked this scripture. It's Mosiah 2:41 "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of neverending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." I really liked that because look at all of the blessings we receive if we keep the commandments! It's pretty amazing! Never-ending happiness sounds pretty great to me! Well that has been my week, I love you all and hope you all have a great week! 

Love,

Sister Price