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
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
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