Febuary 27th 2012

Hello Everybody,

 

This morning I was looking a little bit on the church family history website familysearch.org, and it was so cool I couldn't stop researching.  I would find birthplaces of my ancestors and look at them on googlemaps.  All of the places where my ancestors lived, still exist today, it would be cool to go to these places and see what life might've been like back then.  Something interesting and kind of weird about England is that they normally don't have cemetaries, but most people are buried at churches.  So in a church yard there are gravestones everywhere.  So a lot of people go to churches to look at the grave stones and the registers to see if they can find family members.  Most of the places where my ancestors are from, at least what I was looking at this morning, are in my mission.  A lot of them come from Kent which is close to London, and Somerset which is west of where I am now.  I was looking at all of them and checking which ward the village or town would fall in.  And I thought to myself, what if I served in one of those areas, I could go work in places where my family come from.  Who knows some of my forbears could've spent time in the areas I have already been in.  Crazy stuff to think about. 

 

Yesterday we had a pretty crazy thing happen.  My district leader phoned us on Saturday and told us to look out for a guy with really bright, almost white, blond hair.  They had talked to him for almost an hour, and all of the sudden his girlfriend called him and he had to run and catch a train.  They did find out however that he lives in Newbury.  So we planned to knock this street, and as we were finishing, it was about time to go home.  We knocked the very last door on the street and a guy with really bright blonde hair opened the door.  He said that he had talked to two of us the night before.  He agreed to meet with us again, but he was busy last night.  Regardless it was a miracle, the Lord puts people in our path and directs us where to go to find those who need the gospel.  Me and my companion had been knocking this area for a while to no avail.  We felt strongly though that we needed to keep working there despite it being an upper-scale living estate.  This is the Lord's work and it will go forward, this is the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The same church that was established at the beginning of this world.  The same one that Christ brought to the earth, when he ministered to the people in Jerusalem.  We have the same blessings of Prophetic leadership and the ordinances of the Priesthood.  I know that this is true.  It is exciting to bring it to people who are seeking peace and truth.  Hope to hear from you all next week.

 

Love,

Elder Price

 

P.S. This is the last monday of this transfer, I will find out if I am moving on Wednesday.  Send letters to the London Temple address, I have included it a few times in the e-mails since I have been out. 

January 30th 2012

Hello Y'all,

 

We have to go catch a train, because we are playing basketball today.  But things are going really well here in Newbury.  When I first got here the area was pretty dead.  But we are teaching a lot of people now.  And good things are happening.  We are teaching two families which is really fantastic and one of the families is really beginning to progress.  I will give more detail in the future, especially when I have more time to write.  I am grateful that the Lord has entrusted me and my companion with the people we are teaching right now.  The Field is White All Ready to Harvest.  I know that if you pray for missionary opportunities, you will have them, and it is just a matter of taking those opportunities.  How great the joy of missionary work is.  I hope you all have a great week, I will look forward to hearing from you all.

 

Love,

Elder Price

January 23rd 1012

Hello Everybody,

 

I am grateful for all of your e-mails and letters, they really uplift and inspire me, just when I hear about your lives and your testimonies.  This past week we got to know a family a lot better.  They are a Scottish family and they have 4 kids.  We haven't met the kids yet, but their names are Daniel and Ailsa.  This upcoming Wednesday is a Scottish Holiday called Burns Night.  All I know about it is that it is named after a Scottish Poet, and they eat Haggis, neeps and tatties.  Neeps and tatties are what we know as rutabaga and potatoes.  They invited us over to celebrate the Holiday with them.  We also taught Daniel and Ailsa last week and it was interesting to see the spirit working during the lesson.  They initially were both just curious about our church, but I think it is becoming more serious for them as they learn and read more out of the Book of Mormon.  They also informed me that Price is a Scottish surname, and the Price Clan moved to Wales from Scotland (I don't know if that is true), but maybe that is an excuse for me to get a kilt.  The Price family has their own Tartan, which is the pattern put on Kilts.  Anyways that was the most exciting thing this past week.  I love being a missionary and learning about the gospel.  I have to get going but I hope to hear from all of you next week!

 

Love,

Elder Price

January 16th 2012

Hello Everybody,

 

I am running out of computer time, but I just wanted to thank you for your e-mails, I am sorry if I didn't reply.  I hope you are having a good month of January.  We are having a pretty good one so far.  This transfer is almost over, I think I will stay in Newbury, since I have only been here for 6 weeks.  But you never know.  Regardless we have to move flats at the end of January, so my address will change soon anyways.  So if any of you would like to send letters, send them to the temple until I give you a new address the address for the Temple is:

 

England London South Mission,

The London Temple, West Park Road,

Newchapel, Surrey RH7 6NB

England

 

Well that is all I have time for, I hope you have a great week, I will talk to you next week.

 

Love,

Elder Price

January 3rd 2012

Hello Everybody,

 

Happy New Year!  This past week was pretty slow, because most of our investigators were away for the holidays.  But it was a fun week.  We met a lot of cool people who we are returning to see this next week.  I am excited for the return appointments that we have.  On New Years Eve, my companion and I got Chinese food, and we had a little party in our flat.  It was pretty fun.  We went to bed on time, but I set my alarm for 11:59 to wake up and see the New Year in.  I woke up and said Happy New Year to my companion, and he groaned and rolled over and started snoring.  He didn't remember it the next day, it was pretty funny.  But we were so tired, that seeing the New Year in didn't matter too much.  I guess missionaries are party poopers. 

 

Anyways, I gave a talk this last Sunday in Sacrament Meeting and it was cool I didn't write it word for word.  That was the first time I gave a talk like that, and I talked for nearly 20 minutes.  It was about Moroni, Moroni's story is pretty cool.  It would be hard to be in his shoes.  I am grateful that he did the things and wrote the things he did in the Book of Mormon.  Ether is probably one of my favorite books in the Book of Mormon.  Anyways, that was really cool, and I am excited to talk in Sacrament again sometime.  Missionaries get the opportunity a lot, at least in small wards and branches.  Well I'd better get going, I hope you all have a great week.

 

Love,

Elder Price

December 28th 2011

Hey Everybody,

 

Since p-day was the day after Christmas, we didn't have access to a computer, so we had a little time to e-mail today.  But I just wanted to let ya'll know that I got your e-mails and packages and christmas cards.  They were awesome, thank you so much it really brightened my christmas.  And we had a really good Christmas day, we spent it with a member, it was really fun.  Our branch also gave us gifts, so we have an excess of Chocolates and Shower Gel haha.  But anyways I hope you all had a Merrry Christmas and will have a "crackin" new year.  That is the English saying for happy new year.  Anyways I will e-mail you all next week and I am sending letters soon as well.

 

Love,

Elder Price

December 19th 2011

Hello Everybody,

 

Thank you so much for your e-mails, letters and packages; I know that you really care about me to take the time to do that.  This second week in Newbury was a cool one.  My companion Elder Roberts is a really cool guy and we have a lot of fun together.  We have an investigator named Charly, who is really cool and she really loves the gospel, cool things should be happening soon.  Another thing that is worth writing is that we are on bikes here in Newbury and my butt and my legs are finally getting over the soreness that plagued me for the first week.  I am starting to warm up to Newbury and the branch is pretty cool as well. 

 

I love the time I have to study everyday and I have been getting to know the scriptures better.  I am reading about the life of Christ right now, and I love the stories of his earthly ministry.  I read the beattitudes the other day and it impacted me so much harder than it ever has before.  I think a lot of missionaries (especially elders) transform into a more humble and meek person on their mission.  I hope I can increase my humility and become more charitable.  I have been thinking about that alot, especially since it is Christmas.  I hope you all seek missionary opportunities this Christmas season and that you have testimony building experiences as well.  Have a Merry Christmas, I love you all.

 

Elder Price

December 5th 2011

Hello Everybody,

You might be wondering what the heck the title of this e-mail means.  Well it has been on my mind for the past week, as we have found five new people to teach all but one who are from Ghana.  In the Ghanain language of Twi, mi pe foo foo pah, means I like foo foo, will you make me foo foo. Foo foo is a staple food in Ghana, and whenever we meet someone from Ghana and say that, they get really excited and invite us back to eat foo foo.  So basically, this next week we have four dinner appointments to eat foo foo and teach about the Restoration of the Gospel.  Not a bad situation to be in huh? The only problem is that transfers are on Wednesday, so I may or may not be moved from High Wycombe.  So we will see, but anyways, that is about the only thing I have to report from this week.  I hope you are all having a good Holiday season. 

Love,

Elder Price

December 5th 2011

Hello Everybody,

 

You might be wondering what the heck the title of this e-mail means.  Well it has been on my mind for the past week, as we have found five new people to teach all but one who are from Ghana.  In the Ghanain language of Twi, mi pe foo foo pah, means I like foo foo, will you make me foo foo. Foo foo is a staple food in Ghana, and whenever we meet someone from Ghana and say that, they get really excited and invite us back to eat foo foo.  So basically, this next week we have four dinner appointments to eat foo foo and teach about the Restoration of the Gospel.  Not a bad situation to be in huh? The only problem is that transfers are on Wednesday, so I may or may not be moved from High Wycombe.  So we will see, but anyways, that is about the only thing I have to report from this week.  I hope you are all having a good Holiday season. 

 

Love,

Elder Price

November 28th 2011

Hello Everybody,

 

Things are going better here, we have some investigators who are progressing.  They are all from Africa, Nosa and Bob are two younger guys from Nigeria, they are both University students here in High Wycombe.  Tendai is from Zimbabwe, and she is here with her family.  Things are going well, and I think these are some really good people.  It was funny how we got in contact with Tendai, last Monday, we met her on the high street in town at like 9 PM, so she was rushing home.  I asked her where she is from and she said she is from Zimbabwe, and I got really excited and told her how much I love people from Zimbabwe and how I love a Zimbabwean food called Sudsa.  She started laughing and then we asked her if we could come teach her sometime and she said no.  But we gave her a pamphlet about the Restoration, and she read it.  On Wednesday I was in Slough on exchage with another missionary and she gave us a phone call.  Apparently the pamphlet we gave her had the Slough elders phone number on it, and she requested a Book of Mormon.  So we were really excited to bring her one.  We taught her the restoration, and she is really cool, we are seeing her again this Thursday.

 

So Transfers are next week on Wednesday, so don't send any mail to my flat until after I let you know what happens.  I might get moved, I've been here for 4 and a half months! Time Flies.  So yeah I will let you know next week what is happening.  I love you all, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. 

 

Love,

Elder Price

November 21st 2011

Hey Everybody,

 

I didn't want you to think I forgot about writing, so I thought I would write a few sentences.  But I have to catch a bus to go to Reading in a few minutes.  So yeah, the work is going pretty good.  The weather is pretty gray, but not too cold yet.  They don't celebrate Thanksgiving over here, but there are a few American families in our ward. . . maybe they will invite us over.  I hope.  Christmas lights are going up and people are buying presents.  England is awesome as always and I am loving the people more and more.  It was hard to get used to the people at first, they are very different from Americans, but when you break their shell down they are very nice and charitable people.  Well I hope you all have a great turkey day.

 

Love,

Elder Price

November 14th 2011

Hello Everybody,

 

HOW ARE YOU DOING?  Haha things are going pretty well here in Jolly Old England.  This past week we had a Zone Conference on Wednesday, and Bishop Cook from the Mormon Message spoke to us . . . yes his smile is that big in real life.  He is a really nice guy, and is a good member missionary too.  My Mission President and an Area Authority named Elder Wright also spoke to us about mighty prayer and having faith.  It is something that I think we all need to work on, with Faith anything is possible.  But ya, the title of this e-mail is finding finding finding.  This past week we were very busy street contacting, knocking doors, and trying potential investigators.  We found 5 new investigators; Marcus, Valerie, Karun and his wife Anishiya, and Bob.  Valerie is the only English one, Marcus was born in Nigeria and raised in London, Bob is straight outta Nigeria, and Karun and Anishiya are from Sri Lanka.  One unfortunate thing, is that we failed to schedule time to go out to Beaconsfield to visit Brad Pitt's estate, but it will happen soon. 

 

President Shamo asked the missionaries to prepare a gift for the Savior this Christmas in the form of Baptisms on Christmas Eve, and Confirmations on Christmas Day.  So for these new investigators and existing investigators we are going to ask them to be baptised on that date.  So that is one of my main focuses now.  Oh well I gotta go, we are playing table tennis with a guy in our ward who was a professional ping ponger a couple years ago.  So I will talk to Ya'll next week.

 

Love,

Elder Price

November 7th 2011

Hello Everybody,

 

This past week was pretty rough, all three of the baptisms that we planned this month were cancelled on the same day.  So we are starting over and trying to find new people to teach.  We are still trying to help those people who wanted to get baptized before, but they don't have baptismal dates any more, so yeah.  But anyways, we found a Brazilian Couple whose names are Marcio and Rosane, and they are very cool and nice.  They are probably in their late 20's. 

 

Also there is a new mormon message on Youtube about a bishop who is a Bishop in Wandsworth which is in the part of London which is in my mission.  Here is a link to that video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dNYpXZIN_c.  Bishop Cook was at my chapel three weeks ago when we had district meeting, so I saw him, but I didn't talk to him.  Dang he is a celebrity.  It is funny because the pink chairs in the video are the same ones that we use in our church, pretty crazy huh.  My companion has met him before when he served in another ward in London and he says he is a cool guy.  He is a really good member missionary and he always yells "God Bless the Missionaries" when he drives past the missionaries.  Anyways that is the most exciting thing I have seen this week.  Oh yeah, we found out which house Brad Pitt lives in and it is close to where some members in our ward live.  So we are going to knock his door (gate) this week.  I will let you know how it goes.

 

Love You All,

Elder Price

October 31th 2011

Hello Everybody,

 

I don't have much to report, except that I am staying in High Wycombe with Elder Corca for another transfer.  We have three baptisms planned this month and things are going quite well.  Tonight is Halloween and we were planning on going knocking for a couple hours, but our mission president announced that we are not working tonight.  I waas excited to see peoples reactions to our "costumes" haha and maybe get some sweets as well.  Well I should have more to talk about next week.  But for now have a great week.

 

Love,

Elder Price

October 17th 2011

Hello Everybody,

Sorry I said last week that I would write a lot, but I don't have too much time, because I went to Windsor Castle today and it took longer than we thought to get out of there.  

Anyways, some good news from the past couple of weeks.  We committed someone to baptism.  His name is Ben Greenacre and he is preparing for November 19th.  He was going to do it earlier, but his cousin is going to Utah for two weeks and he wants to be at the baptism.  Anyways, he is a member referral and it is really great to teach him because his cousins help him to learn a lot and they make sure he can get to church and stuff.  It is so much less stressful when members ask us to teach their friends and family.  We also are continuing to teach Janos and his girlfriend Tunde, we took them to the London Temple this past Saturday and they had a really good time.  We dropped Bukki as an investigator, because she wasn't keeping commitments and that was really tough.  But that is about it.  This next week is transfers so I will let you know if I stay in High Wycombe or not.  Hope you all have a great week.

Love,
Elder Price

October 10th 2011

Hello Everybody,

I don't have very much time to write today, because I have to go to a funeral in ten minutes.  But I just want to let you know how grateful I am for your prayers, your e-mails and your letters.  They really help me out.  Things are starting to pick up and I should have a lot of good stuff to report next week.  I look forward to hearing from all of you.  The Church is True!!!

Love,
Elder Price

Miracles- October 3rd 2011

Hello Everybody,

 

The first day I arrived to this mission, President Shamo talked about the miracles that occur here.  He says that our mission is particularly blessed with the amazing and varied miracles that happen on the south side of the Thames River.  It is amazing to be a witness of daily miracles that occur in High Wycombe.  We are asked to report our miracles to our district leader each day, because they happen that frequently.  I just want to write about one of the miracles that happened this past week.

 

The first one is similar to what Ammon experienced with King Lamoni.  Although we did not smite anybodies arms off, Elder Corca and I had the opportunity to witness the softening of someones heart as we served.  There is a sister in our ward named Pam Curtis.  And she is a really good member missionary.  She has tried to give everybody on her block a Book of Mormon.  One lady named Peggy, got very angry the first time Sister Curtis offered her one.  So Sister Curtis asked the Sister Missionaries who were here before us to go to her door.  They recieved the same response from Peggy, but they asked if she needed help with anything.  And Peggy asked them to come back and plant some flowers in her garden.  So about two months later, Sister Curtis was talking to Peggy again and she asked if the Sisters could come back and help her.  Since the Sisters left, she got us instead, and we got to mow her lawn.  Lawns are so much smaller over here than in the U.S. but she has a crappy electric mower, so it took us about an hour and a half to get it right.  As we finished the job, and showed her the product of our work, she was so happy because she is unable to do it herself now (she is 92 years old).  She gave us a glass of Orange Juice and asked why we help people.  To make a long story short, she took a Book of Mormon from us and said that she would arrange a time with Sister Curtis for us to come back and teach her. 

 

We have had many miracles this past week, which include the stories of the three new investigators that we picked up this week.  But it is great to look back on a week and remember the miracles that happen.  I know that miracles occur outside of missionary work as well, through Faith in Christ anything is possible.  I have seen miracles throughout my life.  But it is usually only in retrospect that I realize the hand of God in my life.  Those realizations have brought me through hard times in my life, and I love being able to remember the amazing things that God has done for me.  This is God's work, and because it is so important for his children to come back in to the fold, he makes miracles happen.  I love being a part of His work, I know that it is true, I love Feeding His Sheep!  I hope you all have a great week.

 

Love,

Elder Price