From Mom 11/30

Dear Family,

I think we finally figured out how we can send all of you the same letter at the same time. Hopefully it will work.

This has been a week full of all kinds of feelings. It was hard not being with family on Thanksgiving. We thought about you a lot and all the food and pies and fun but we made it through the day. We had a “Thanksgiving Feast” in the ward and it was a wonderful opportunity for us to get acquainted with a lot of people. There was so much food! Turkey, ham, lots of salads and lots of vegetables, potatoes and gravy, PUMPKIN PIE and tons of other desserts. These people love desserts. The zucchini brownies were a hit with the adults as well as the kids. I didn’t tell anyone they had zucchini in them. Sometimes that is a real turn-off. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening. If they have stayed a played a few hands of Rook or other games, it would have been perfect.

One of the couples we met and visited with (I listened, Dad and them visited) that night were the Meyers. He is 78 and she is 81. He has been a member of the church for 40 years. She comes to everything at church and has probably had the missionary discussions a dozen times. People call her “Sister Meyers” but she just doesn’t want to be baptized. Brother Meyers asked us to come over. He dearly loves his wife and he knows he is getting older and probably won’t be around a whole lot longer and he just can’t stand the thoughts of not having her with him. He said, “Will you please come over and talk my wife into joining the church?” We went over and they couldn’t have been nicer to us but she is very cautious. I think before we have much discussion regarding the church, we’re going to have to prove that we are interested in her and that we really care about her and not just getting her baptized. Meeting all of these wonderful people is what makes being a missionary worthwhile.

For those who were with us when Dad and I were set apart as missionaries, you may remember President Cutler saying to Dad in his blessing that he would have the opportunity of meeting and becoming acquainted with people from his previous mission. Thursday at the Thanksgiving Feast, a sister in the ward came up to him and said, “Elder Price, I made a discovery today. Have you made one yet?” Dad was a bit puzzled and had to admit that he was afraid he hadn’t, and then she asked him if he had ever served in Freiburg when he was on his mission. When he said he had, she said, “That’s where I know you from.” She was on a mission at the same time. Of course, she wasn’t married than and had a different last name but as soon as she told Dad who she was, he remembered her. I think I have already told you that the doctor who takes care of all the missionaries in this part of Europe, Dr. Milo Moody, was one of Dad’s favorite companions when he was here before. They’ve called and talked a few times and next week he will be touring our mission with President Rakow when he does zone conferences so we will get to see him. Dad is so excited!

Sunday morning at 7:30 our phone rang. It was a counselor in the bishopric. The bishop was out of town and this counselor had forgotten to get speakers for sacrament meeting. He asked if we would be the speakers that day. Church starts at 9:30----Sacrament meeting starts at 9:30! We both went into a panic mode for a few minutes but finally pulled something together. (I need to prepare some talks to have on hand for these kinds of occasions.) One advantage we have of speaking in this ward is that they translate the talks so if you prepare for 7 or 8 minutes, you have a 15 minute talk by the time it has been translated. I, of course, spoke in English and Dad spoke in German. Another new and different experience.

Sunday at church we met a couple we hadn’t met before and he and Dad really hit it off. That afternoon they called and said they wanted us to come for Christmas dinner. They said they wanted to speak early because usually the missionaries get lots of invitations to dinner. Come to find out, Sunday was the first time in a year that they had been to church. They are on our less-active list but both work out of town during the week and we haven’t been able to catch up with them. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a good friendship and a new time of church activity for them. They were just such nice people.

We have 3 wives in the ward whose husbands are in Iraq. One of them is in Bagdad right now. The bishop asked us to visit them when we could and give them support. What brave women these women are! Their husbands are deployed for a year. All of them have families. One is expecting a baby in January. She has three other children. I asked her how she stood it and she said you just get used to it when you’re a military wife. They have a lot of faith and they know the lives of their husbands are on the line but also have faith that they will be protected and will return home to them. How I admire their faith and their wonderful attitude.

I think I have told you about the two young men who come to Family Home Evening. Monday night, I asked one of them how he first got acquainted with the church. This will be of interest to Cindy. Three years ago he and his Dad were in California on a trip and they went to the visitor’s center at the Oakland Temple. He was fascinated with it and what he heard. You’ve got to realize that he was 14 years old at the time. Anyway, he filled out a referral card because he wanted to know more. The missionaries contacted him and he has had all the lessons. He has read the Book of Mormon several times and he just really knows the gospel. He said that last summer his family was in California again and the last day he was there he went alone back to the visitor’s center and spent the whole day there while his family was going other places to see. He said he just couldn’t get enough of the feeling he felt there. At first, his parents were upset about him wanting to learn about the church and would only let him go to church once a month. Then they told him he could go twice a month but had to go to their Catholic church with them the other two weeks. Now he can come to the church as much as he wants to, and he does. The people in the ward just love him and it’s no wonder. He is just a neat young man. His parents have told him he has to wait until he is 18 to be baptized. That’s another year away but he said his parents are softening and he’s thinking they may let him be baptized sooner than that. He asked us if we would come and teach his parents about the church. We told him, “Just let us know when.”

I’m struggling a bit with the lack of sun here. It is dark by 4:30 in the afternoon and stays dark until nearly 8 o’clock in the morning. This week it has been foggy and rainy every day. I just want some sunshine! There are lots of adjustments to living in a different country!

I’m so happy about BYU winning their game. That’s the first thing I did Sunday morning----get up and look on the internet for the score. Thanks for sending the fun clip of the game. I can just hear the “ROAR” when that game ended. How are Tennessee and Oklahoma doing this year?

I’m going to save the information on our wonderful investigator for another week. She is awesome. Today she came from feeling that God is a spirit and power that is just all around you to telling us that she knew that God was a real person and someone who cares about us and listens to our prayers. There, that’s enough preview for next week.

We love you and we miss you. Thank you for your letters and especially for your prayers. We need lots of both. This is not easy but is very worthwhile. We have met lots of wonderful people and are learning a lot-----like patience! All of you have a wonderful week.

Much love,
Mom

From Mom 11/22

Dear Family,
I'm just going to retype the letter I wrote on November 22. Then I will wr=ite another one later this week.We still haven't quite figured out how we can send an e-mail to each of you= so we're hoping you will get this to everyone. We need to just figure out= how to do it. You have two quite computer illiterate parents!

We've nearly completed our first week here in Wurzburg. About half of the =time we've been lost but somehow, and we give the Lord the credit, we final=ly find where we are supposed to be. We do a lot of U-turns and even go th=e wrong way on roundabouts! There are two big freeways that run through th=e city and it's so easy to take the wrong exit and be clear on the other si=de of the city. We have spent a lot of time just finding how to get to pla=ces, like the church, the Elders apartment and the store. There are two bi=g Wal-marts fairly close by and we've become quite familiar with them. The=re arenn't the little markets like there were in Munich and we miss them an=d the fresh vegetable stands out in front of them. Our apartment building =is in an area full of big apartment buildings with very few stores or shops=. Dad told me that Germany is about the size of the state of Montana and h=as 83 million people. I don't think thereare a million people in the whole= state of Montana. Yes, there are a lot of people here.

We enjoyed our new ward on Sunday. There used to be a lot of Americans in =this ward but the military base here is closing down so a lot of them have =left. In fact, in the last year this ward has gone from over 300 members t=o around 160 now. There are still some military families. The bishop is a= doctor who got his training through the military and is finishing his obli=gations here. He is a very nice man. All the meetings are translated into= both languages. There are two mikes on the pulpit and a translator stands= right next to the one conducting the meeting and the speakers when they sp=eak. The songs are sung in both languages and that is interesting. I try =to sing with Dad out of the German book. I can say the words but have no i=dea what I'm saying!

The ward is having a "Thanksgiving Feast" tomorrow and everyone is bringing= something for it. A member, whoe husband is deployed rightnow, offered to= do the whole thing, even furnish all the turkey, but the bishop told her t=he wars would buy the turkey and to hand out a sign up sheet for the other =things. One of the sisters I was sitting by in Relief Society asked if I c=ould bring brownies. Luckily one of the members in Munich gave me a can of= Hersheys cocoa mis and I have everything else, so zucchine brownies will b=e my contribution. It's so hard to cook because I don't know what things a=re in the store. Dad is a lot of help most of the time but not with cookin=g ingredients. Monday after our district meeting, another sister in our di=strict is going to take me grocery shopping and show me what's what. They =have been here for 17 months and lived in Germany two times before their mi=ssion so she knows what this is all about. It will be nice to have a bigge=r variety of things to eat.

Monday night was our first FHE with the young adults. There were two inves=tigators, one new member and a couple of Elders there. We had a good time.= These investigators are 16 and 17 year old boys who are already converted= to the church but their parents won't let them be baptized until they are =18. They are just amazing young men. They talk about, "when I go on my mi=ssion---" and always talk about how much they love the church. One of them= said the thing that attrated him to the church and helped him to know it w=as true was the priesthood and knowing that the right authority was here. =The other said it was knowing that there was a prophet because there should= always be a prophet on the earth. The new member has a wonderful testimon=y of the gospel. She grew up in a very abusive home and was very sick. Sh=e felt like she was going to die and even wanted to but one night knelt dow=nn and prayed that the Lord would send someone who could help her. Two day=s later the missionaries knocked on her door. The gospel has been her life= ever since. She wanted a Book of Mormon to give to a friend so we got one= for her and she brought it Monday night wanting me to read her testimony s=he had written in the front of it. It was incredible. She should write th=at in lots of Books of Mormon! The numbers were few but every soul is impor=tant. We do what we can do.

Tuesday was our first Institure class. There were just two there. This sa=me girl and a returned missionary, but we had a good discussion on the impo=rtance of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. We are also trying to teach= them to look for "principles" as they read the scriptures and applying the= scriptures to their own lives. They did very well. Again, there being ju=st tow there, I had to talk to myself a little bit on the way home and remi=nd myself that this is how it is---small steps. We were supposed to have a=nother institute class tonight but the people who come on Wednesday were ha=ving a party for one of their sisters who is leaving Germany and told us th=ey wouldn't be there. So, we a plugging along. Small in numbers and a bit= discouraged but we'll keep trying.

I'm glad to hear you are going to be together for Thanksgiving. If it wasn='t for the Americans here in the ward, I'm sure nothing would be going on s=o we're thankful that we will have some kind of celebration. =20I think it was Cathy who mentioned something about the Father Christmas pro=ject and wondering if there were some people here who needed help. When we= met with the bishop on Sunday to go over the ward list, he just kept sayin=g, "They are in need of so much help" or "We're going to need to help them= so their children can have some Christmas." We wondered how all of you wo=uld feel about giving the money from our family to the bishop here for him =to use as he feels is needed. Let us know. You could just have Boyd depos=it it into Dad's account and let us know how much it is and we can draw it =out. But only if you all feel good about it.

Some of you have asked what we would like for Christmas. We don't want any=thing very big! We learned as we were transferred that we have way too muc=h "stuff" and we don't need more. We are fine on clothes. We could use so=me more CD's---church music. I think we have most of the tabernacle choir =CD's but just some good hymn arrangements would be wonderful Also, we woul=d love some Kool-aid, some vanilla, chocolate chips, dry stew mix, stuff li=ke that. LeAnn will probably remember what she couldn't get in England and= it's pretty much the same here. Pictures are always welcome.Have a wonderful time together this week-end. We will be thinking of you a=nd all the games and fun that will be going on. We will miss being with fa=mily but that too is part of being a missionary. I just know the reason BY=U has had such a good year is because we are on this mission. That is wort=h all the frustration!

One more thing. Monday after our district meeting, I was talking to the ot=her senior sister and telling her how frustrated and discouraged I was abou=t the language and that I have almost made myself sick worrying about it. (=I have lost 11 pounds) She said, in a kind way, "Sister Price, did you com=e on this mission just to learn to speak German or was there another reason= you came?" That made me think and then she told me that there are many wa=sy to communicate with people other than just through language and loving a=nd caring for people was the best way. That I can do. I will learn what I= can about the language but Ineed to let loose of it a little and put my ef=forts in other areas. If it is to come, it will come and if I never learn =to use it fluintly, that will have to be okay. I can bear my testimony, si=mple as it is, and I can greet people and I can stay close to Dad so he can= tell me what's going on!

Know that you are all in our prayers. We love you so much. This being a g=ood example is hard work!
Much love always,
Mom

From Mom 11/15

Dear Family,
We just wanted to let zou know that we feel like real missionaries now. We are being "transferred". That's a common word in missionary life. We had heard rumors that it was coming but didn't realize it would be this soon.We are going to Würzburg, pronounced Vertsberg. It is about three and a half hours northwest of here and is a citz of 130,000---small compared to 2million in Munich. There is a US military base there and we have been told that about half the members are Americans. All the meetings are in both German and English so maybe if I hear it in both languages, I can pick up ona few words. We have talked to 3 sets of senior missionaries who have been there and they all loved it. The coupld that is there now is coming here to Münich to run the Outreach Center. We'll just trade apartments. We know weare getting the best end of the deal. We went to their apartment when we were out checking all the apartments and it is really nice. We first met them while we were at the MTC. He was in the branch presidency of the German branch there and we went to Sacrament meeting in that branch the last night we were there. They are wonderful people. The young people will love having them here. And here is another good thing. They already have high speed internet in their apartment so starting tomorrow, we will have internet and can write from where we live and send pictures and all kinds of good things. I can keep up on the football scores!

President Rakow wants our emphasis to be on the 18-29 year age group but does not want it to be an Outreach Center. We will be teaching some institute classes and then he has given us the green light to do whatever we need to do to keep those kids busy and happy and active in the church. Nate and Cindy, if you have some good suggestions on some activities we would welcome them. This means another adjustment but hopefully it won't be quite so difficult. I think the culture shock is pretty much behind me and I'm getting used to the way people do things here. I think if the people in the ward know that we are there to help them and to love them and not to try to take over, they will accept us. At least I hope so.

We had several appointments for this week so last night I had to call and cancel and tell them we were leaving. Everyone was so nice and told us they would really miss us and thanked us for the help we had given them. That was a good feeling. It's amazing how close you can get to people in such a short time. We will really miss them and I think that's how it will be wherever we go. So today has been a day of packing and cleaning and laundry. I needed a change so we went around the corner to an internet cafe so I could let you know what's going on. We'll write more tomorrow from our apartment. We do get to keep our car and we're happy about that. We would never have been able to do what we've done in this ward without a car. The other night we went to check up on a member and it was like driving to Pocatello. Of course, this ward is unique in that it has no boundaries. It is open to anyone in the area who want to go to an English speaking ward. President Rakow also mentioned that he will probably be sending us on another apartment inspection come spring. Never a dull moment but lots of variety and that is good. I'll tell you about some other things when we get settled tomorrow. We had better get back to finishing our work. I know already that I'm going to be sending some "stuff" home that I don't need here. One transfer has taught me that! Thanks for your love, your prazer and your letters and for looking out for each other. We love you, we pray for you and we miss you.

Until later,
Mom
P.S. Our new address:
Elder and Sister Price
Schwabenstr. 1a
97078 Wurzburg
Germany
Phone: 0931-282219

[*Note - this address will also be posted on the Family Birthday & Addresses page]

From Mom 11/9

Dear Family,
I can't even begin to tell you how much your letters mean to us. It's so good to hear about all the activities going on with the family. Sounds like Halloween was a fun time for everyone. Tommy, we were so happy to hear that your are working hard and are doing so well on the piano. You have a wonderful teacher and will learn a lot if you do what she asks you to do. Keep up the good work on your music too, all you Hatch kids. And all you athletes, good luck in all you are doing. GO SHELLEY in the football playoffs! Zach, no matter when you go on your mission, you're going to miss something that sounds really fun to do---like the Macey's parade, etc. but I can promise you that you will be blessed for putting the Lord's work first. One thing that Grandpa and I are missing that I've really looked forward to is our 50----can you believe 50 year class reunion. It was a big temptation to wait another year to come so we could be to that but we felt it was time to leave when we left and I know we are being blessed for it.

Yesterday we went with the two sisters who work in the office to see the Neunschwanstain castle. It is the castle that the Disneyland Castle is patterend after and it is really beautiful. We took a lot of pictures but will send each of you a postcard picture so you can see how beautiful it is. After we left there, we drove to a small town that is full of woodcarving shops. It was fascinating to see all the things they make from wood and it was a beautiful little village. All the buildings were very Swiss architecture and most of them had paintings on the outside. It doesn't seem real that we are right here seeing all these things. We justified our going there by being invited to a members home for dinner and to show the Book of Mormon DVD in another city close by. The family had invited all four of us for dinner so we took the LONG way around to get to their home. It was a long day but another day of beautiful Germany scenery.

Will write more in a minute so I won't lose this.

Hello again,

Dad and I have been finding some more lost members and have been given a fewreferrals to look up that sound kind of promising. It is very tiring findingall these addresses but so far we've found all of them. This is something thebishop just doesn't have time to do and he is so grateful for what we have beenable to do. Most of the people aren't really interested in coming to church soDad asks them what they want to do about their membership and the say, "Oh, wewant to keep our membership." One man just came right out and told us he justdoesn't have time for church. He is too busy making money! If they only knewwhat was REALLY important. But some day they will find out.Everyone is excited about the baptism of the girl from Canada this weekend. Sheis really excited and is so happy. She just glows! I feel very honored thatshe asked me if I would give one of the prayers at her baptism. She and I havehad some really good talks about the church. It's just exciting seeing someonegain a testimony and come into the church, even if we aren't the ones teaching her.

This will come as a shock to you. I am playing the piano in Relief Society!!!Thank goodness for my Simplified version of the hymn book. You know this wardhas to be desperate for music people when they have to ask me to play. I alsotaught the Gospel Principles class on Sunday and have been asked to do it againin two weeks. My poor brain is being overworked!!! Sunday our lesson was onprophets and there was a neat story about President Harold B. Lee. He was inCalifornia for a big meeting and was staying at the home of a stake president there. It was Monday night and the family was so excited to have the prophet ofthe church to their Family Home Evening. President Lee was asked to give the closing prayer and this was the whole point of this being included in this lesson---what the family learned about prayer from a prophet. The article,written by the stake president, said that as President Lee prayed, he first prayed for his family, not as a whole but for each member in his family. Thenhe prayed for his counselors, asking the Lord to bless each one of them with the challenges and responsibilites that were theirs. Then he did the same with eachmember fo the Quorom of the Twelve. This stake president said that the prayersin their home have never been the same since that time and each member of thefamily is prayed for individually with specific needs being mentioned. That was such a lesson to me. I think since then, my prayers have changed. It's so important to mention each family member and ask for help with what isgoing on in their lives. Thank you for sharing with us information about yourfamilies and know that we are praying for them. Know that we love you. We feel your prayers in our behalf and of your support. This is not an easy thing! In fact, I think it is the hardest thing I've everdone but I know it is right. We pray each day that we are doing what we asupposed to be doing and helping strengthen someone's testimony of the gospel.

Much love always,
Mom

From Dad 11/2

Dear Family,
Mom smiles at all the great detail in my letters. It's all in the fingers. Wehave 20 minutes and then the Outreach Center computers dump whatever is there.So thinking fast, typing fast with no mistakes is the key. In the meantime, whatyou see is what you get!

We love our mission. Mom is still a great sport. There is no question we will gothe distance. There is also no question her bags will be packed and no one willhave to say to her when it's time to return home, "Are you ready yet?" Each daynew people are being added to those with whom we are working. Mom and I are alsobecoming very attached to these contacts, their challenges, their warm heartsand gentle feelings, and with some their keeping a distance and checking us andthe Gospel out.

We are finding some foods mom is getting to like and even enjoy. She is stillnot a big breakfast fan but does sit down frequently and go through the motionsof having breakfast. She's great. Her sense of humor is alive and well and keepsme smiling daily. My driving is still a big concern, but we are working on it.Mom still gets totally disoriented which direction we are going and is amazedwhen somehow we end up where we set out to go. Most of the time she knows andnavigates and things go smoothly - until I miss a turn or turn too soon. Then wejust correct and go again. This part happens with much less stress than atfirst. We love all you guys. Please keep the letters, pictures, and funny storiescoming our way. Have a great week.

Love always,
Dad

From Mom 11/2

Dear Family,
We've had another busy week. We finished up the apartments last Saturday. Thatwas an interesting but very stressful assignment. Going into a city we've neverbeen in before with just a map of the city and then finding the addresses was nosmall task. We traveled over 5000 km, which is around 3500 miles. We saw lotsof beautiiful scenery. The fall colors were something else. There are so manytrees everywhere and such a variety of different trees. We took some picturesbut you can't fully capture those colors even with a good camera. As we got nearMunich on our way home, I commented to Dad that it seemed good to be going intoa city that we knew where to go when we got there and then we missed the exit(asfart) that we were to take. I was driving and Dad was supposed to bewatching for us but was looking at something else and we whizzed right on by. It took us an hour to find the way home! I was not a pleasant person at thattime, and that's putting it mildly I was so tired----tired of being lost mostof the time and here we were in our own city, LOST!! But we did eventually makeit back to our apartment and all was well again. In all, we visited 45apartments and met some wonderful missionaries. The frustration that came fromtrying to find their places left as soon as we got inside with them. What greatspirits they have. Most of them are totally dedicated to what they are doing. They love being missionaries, they love the people and are very positive evenwhen the work is very difficult. We've learned a lot being around them.

Monday was our first zone conference. Two zones met together and it was a fullbut very good day. President and Sister Rakow were there and did a lot ofinstructing and encouraging. Sister Rakow is trying to teach us some culture. She played a recording of classical musical. Many of the greatcomposers---Mozart, Beethoven and others are from here. I think every city wewere in had a Mozart street and a Beethoven street and several other famouscomposers. She gave us some background on the music and asked us to listen tothe two main themes of it and listen for when it went from one theme to anotherand then came together. She is very much into music. Then she taught us properEuropean table manners. We all have a lot to learn!! I felt like a hic from thesticks when she was talking about that but it is very important to learn andwill be good to know as we go into peoples homes. She is a great lady. I admirethe time and energy they put into their calling.

I'll add part 2 in a minute. I don't want to lose this so will send it andcontinue with another one.

Hello again,These darn church computers only allow a few minutes then everything diappears.Yesterday we traveled south from here to almost the Austria border to visit amember of our ward. I was awestruck with the beauty of that area. The alpsstart about where she lives and the mountains were just awesome. The village wasvery typical Swiss-Austrian design. The homes were all like Swiss Chalets andwere just beautiful. I don't know what I expected Germany to look like but it'sjust a beautiful country. As we were driving back, there were leaves blowingacross the freeway and Dad made the comment, " Do you ever remember leavesblowing across the freeway in Idaho?" No I didn't. Tumbleweeds maybe but notleaves off trees on both sides of the freeways. The fall colors have been sobeautiful. I hate to see them fall but if they didn't fall it wouldn't befall!!! Today we've had just a dusting of snow. Winter is on it's way.The cold weather has got Dad's sinuses in a tizzy. Last night he was justreally miserable and went to be fairly early. He seemed a bit better today butI can tell he is still hurting. But it hasn't slowed him down much. He justkeeps going and going and going.

A week from Saturday is a baptism of a young woman who moved here from Canada tobe a nanny. Her friend from home came with her and they came to church in theward we work in because it is English speaking. The young people in that wardare so good about fellowshipping new people and they invited her to FHE at theOutreach Center. The kids here at the Outreach Center welcomed her and made herfeel very much at home. The young sister missionaries have been teaching herand she is so excited about being baptized! And her friend is almost as excitedas she is. This is one of the purposes of the Outreach Center---a place memberscan bring their non-member friends to meet and associate with members. It isalso a favorite place for missionaries to have their contacts come to be taught. I wish we could be assigned here permanently but that's up to our president. We'll try to do what he wants us to do. It sounds like we will have a more permanent assigement by the end of thismonth. In the meantimes, we continue to do what we've been asked to do and areenjoying the people we've met. In a way, I hope we can just stay in this wardfor awhile. We're starting to get to know the people and feel comfortable withthem. Usually that's just when they make a change, isn't it?

We appreciate all the letters and hearing about what everyone is doing. Wewatched Henry's wrestling match. Way to go, Henry! I feel bad that we aremissing out on so many activities with the kids but hopefully there will stillbe things going on when we are finished here. I have to keep telling myself,"We're doing what the Lord's servants have asked us to do." It isn't easy but weknow that most worth-while things aren't easy. And one good expereince a weekmakes up for all the frustrations that come with this work.We are thankful for each of you and love you very much. You are in our prayersevery day. We pray for health and protection and success in all you do and forstrength and energy to keep up with your busy lives. We feel your love and yourprayers in our behalf and we appreciate them.

Much love,Mom