August 31, 2009

Dear Family,

It's always a great thing to hear from you guys! The 4 people we are teaching are Bob, Shelly, Zack and Hunter, who is a 9 year old grandson of our mission leader. Its great to teach them. Everytime we go over they tell us something about how we are changing their lives and they love us coming over! Its a really neat experience teaching people about the gospel. We had Elder Packer, the Apostle's son, come talk to us which was a really great experience. He came and talked to us on Thursday and we did a companion exchange which was really neat. He used to serve in Fremont a few months ago so he knew where everything was and where everyone lived. He is really great at teaching lessons. I learned alot from him! He also is a professional piano player! Whoa, he knows how to play the piano! He can go up and down the keyboard playing so fast I couldn't even do it if we weren't caring what it sounds like. He used to tour over Europe playing before he came on his mission! He is great at it and also a good missionary, who gained 40 lbs. It's really funny; everyone is talking about how they gain so much weight and especially in Fremont but I'm still the same. It makes some people mad but its good for meals! "Hey, you're so skinny you need to eat more. Come over this week for dinner!" Being skinny is fun! Did you know that the Heinz ketchup factory is here in Fremont and they produce 99% of the ketchup for the U.S. or I think the world? Maybe just U.S. and it's here in Fremont! The member below us works there so we aren't allowed to have any ketchup besides that brand. Its really funny to talk ketchup with people! haha :) Yes, I' good on a gps fow now but I would still really like one! It sounds like you had a fun family night. That is a good scripture. When we study from the scriptures and become united as a family, nothing can separate us. We can be immovabe and the wickedness and sin of the world will have no effect on us because there is power in a united family. The principle of the tortoise & the hare also applies to reading the scriptures. When we read fast, just to read, we don't get everything out of it that we might need too and we miss plain and precious principles. When we read slow and steady, searching for the doctrine in the scriptures, we will be surprised at how much we will see we were missing! Its awesome to really dig into the scriptures! The answers to every deep doctrine question or simple question can be found in the scriptures, we just have to look! I just got a email from Kyle! I was going to write him today, but I got an email from him, kinda funny. It just says, "hey buddy is this you?" That's nice about his apartment, mine is the nicest too. It's huge!

I have had a good week here. We talked to Zack and he is doing really good. We watched Legacy with Bob and he loved that and he even wants to move his baptism date sooner! We also have had alot of lessons this week and since my companion is new and I kinda am too, we are making this game plan to attack Fremont. There is about 90people in the branch so its our goal to turn them into a ward! I'm pretty sure we can do it! We just need to get the less actives back to church and find more people. Did you know that missionary work is mostly up to the members? It's members who help us find people and teach them. When they are at church, it's the members who help them feel welcomed and stay in church and active. So, if you see an investigator at church or someone who normally isn't there, go out of your way to say hi to them. You don't have to talk to them and follow them around, but just say hi and smile! :) It was kinda a slow week tracting because the fair was going on. I think that next week will be better! I remember a story. We were over at the Lejunes getting Elder Strong's hair cut by Brittany, their daughter, who is less active and gives really good hair cuts. I was sitting at the table talking to the mom and little Alexa (who is 6 years old) and we were talking about otter pops and she was like "Elder, for you" and I was like, "thanks, but I don't need it. You can have it." She was like, "ok" and puts it down. Then she climbs over and hugs me! It was really cute but I was taken back and I said "umm.. thanks" and she says "mmmm" (like when little kids are giving you hugs) and she was on my back and I couldn't get her off. Her mom was like, "Alexa, get off him. You're not supposed to hug elders!" haha. Everyone was laughing because she said "no" and wouldn't let go and I was sitting there going "umm, well it's ok, I guess." Finally she goes back and sits down and keeps smiling at me and coming over but her mom would say "Alexa, don't!" It was funny. Her mom told me that when her brother sits down for too long, she hugs him because she doesn't see him a lot. I was sitting down and she doesn't see me a lot so she hugged me! Haha, that's my story! Oh, and also, their daughter Brittany was kinda wayward and has a little girl. We went over for the hair cut and I forgot to tell Elder Strong this and he walks in and sees Ava (her little girl) and says "Where is eveyone?" and Brittany says she took Alexa to get some shots today and he was like "so your babysitting?" Haha. She was like "no, that's my daughter!" He was like "oh.." and really embarased! It was really funny! She even told me later that she thought it was funny cuz she gets it alot. We went to Krogers the other night (its like Albertsons) but we went there and they were having a sale on half gallon ice cream for 99 cents and we bought 2 of them for shakes.. :) they were really good. My companion says he wants to fatten me up some. Its funny cuz I have all this fatty food and don't gain. I need to work out more in the mornings so i dont! That wouldn't be good if I came back a little chubby!

Oh, Gordan got the priesthood on Sunday! That was really neat. He has lost enough weight he could fit into a dress shirt so he looked all dressed up fancy with a tie and everything! Me and my comapanion were doing service and we started getting itchy and we looked at the plants by where we were and they were the poison ivy plants that Elder Heyland got into and got his poison ivy! We started getting bumps and a red rash and we were like "ahh!" and ran inside and tried to wash it off really fast! It worked because we don't have it anymore! Tell everyone I said hi! Be good, stay strong and read your scriptures! :)

Lots of love, Elder Price