Volunteer Life

Hello friends and family. This is volunteer Price at your service.

:)

At VTC

At VTC

Sister Price and Sister Lindquist

This week was great! many of you are probably wondering what in the world us volunteers are doing over here in Russia.                 SO ARE WE hahahahahaha:)

Pretty much this week has been crazy weird but nonetheless crazy good. So as volunteers we are now having a daily VTC.. Volunteer training center. It isn't anything big but we just get together as volunteers here in Volgograd and the areas surrounding and we do language study, Russian history, and a spiritual part as well. Pretty much I love VTC! It is great and we have that everyday. 3 hours. We also have studies... and then every companionship is assigned to stay at the branch for 3 hours everyday. So pretty much it feels super weird to be here at the branch or at home with nothing to do.. well of course there is always stuff to do and things to study.. but going from "if you aren't on the street 5 minutes after you finish studies then something isn't right" to "yes that is what we are saying. don't street contact and stay off the streets so if you don't have a meeting with a member.. you are staying home." definitely weird. Sister Lindquist bought a guitar last week and we were asked to turn in our white handbooks so I mean if that says anything hahaha (update: we used the guitar for a devotional and the white handbooks have been returned haha) but pretty much it is just really really weird and I can't really describe it.. HOWEVER these past two weeks have been some of the most spiritual of my mission. I literally have moments where I am overwhelmed with the spirit and I feel the confirmation that this is the Lord's plan. I honestly think that we will be seeing miracles here in Russia and honestly this is what the Russian people need- love and service. Not a snot nosed American telling them that everything they have believed for generations is whack. (maybe edit that sentence out hahahaha)

Our Bedroom  - Oh Utah!

Some Sister Left her cookbook

A room with a view in Volgograd

At VTC

At VTC

But yes lots of changes coming to the mission! As of right now, any person that we teach needs to be very advanced in the teaching process, sign a paper that says that they are "following" the church -(so pretty much with the intent to be baptized) and we can't teach without a member there. However we can still visit members and less actives at their homes or at the branch.. the only thing is that if they have a non member there we can not answer their questions.. but the member can. So yes lots of member focus now.

On the streets we can not stop and talk to people, but if we have a natural conversation we can give facts about the church- like where it is or what time is starts, but we can not invite and we can't testify. so yeah that one has been hard. The first couple of days after I remember just watching people pass with a knot in my stomach knowing that I can't share with people that God exists. But there will be times and I can do it in other ways:)

Our Fruit and Veggie Vendor

BUT ANYWAY YES THIS WEEK WAS GOOD

Tuesday we met with the branch president and his wife; Mxxxx and Pxxxxx!! they are awesome and these two young bucks. They both work at Teleperformance (ZACH SHOUT OUT) and love it! They gave us lots of good advice on things that we can do as volunteers to help the branch out. They are awesome!

Wednesday we met with Sxxxxxxx and he is just so awesome. I love teaching him! he has a lot of faith and a desire to know everything! During our lesson we did a how to begin teaching point that says, " Sxxxxxxx we don't know everything and we can't answer every question that you have.. but we want to help you understand everything a little bit better!" and right after that he said, "who told you?" hahahah it was so funny!

Thursday we had the best VTC ever. man I absolutely loved it. We talked about the scattering of the 12 tribes of Israel and what that means for us serving in Russia.. and then we had a huge spiritual discussion about the plan of salvation and wrote down every question or concern that we have had or that we have heard about the plan of salvation and sat down and tried to find answers to them in the scriptures. It was just a really really neat VTC and it really spoke to me for some reason.. As I sat there with all of these 18-20 year olds discussing the meaning of life I had the distinct thought, "we aren't like regular 18-20 year olds" hahaha

But I invite you to find a safe spiritual place- with friends or family or in your ward or even with your bishop and stake president and ask those questions that you have always wondered about and never asked for one reason or another.. AND THEN GO TO WORK. STUDY IT OUT WITH PRAYER. I can promise you that you can find your answer in the scriptures.

Friday we had an awesome spiritual thought with a member Katya!

Saturday the Volgograd branch had a baptism! Rxxxxxx! Rxxxxxx is awesome !We have lots of Africans here in our branch that are going to school andRxxxxxx  is one of them. he has an awesome testimony and a love for God. Great guy!

we also met with Jxxxxx that day who is a recent convert. She is a cutie! She was going on this super long story and just talking and talking and I was just loving it. Man she is a cute old lady!

Sunday was kind of crazy! We had church in center and then left to tracktorney-- and people came !we had three lovely ladies there:) I gave a talk as did elder Osborn and Sergei and it was a good little meeting! After we had banana bread and tea of course:) and then we came back home for a few minutes.. had a crazy panic attack about food for the devotional.. threw some beans in a pot and then headed out to the church! we had a great devotional put on by sister Lindquist and I! And afterwards we all ate this crazy dinner together that all the missionaries put together last minute... potato casserole.. veggies... bread... cheese... meat... and a fruit salad.. not too shabby for the day before pday!!!! haha

Monday we had zone training and learned some more of what we can and can't do. It was a good zone training with good pizza!!!

We are now looking at service opportunities.. like maybe teaching English at schools or other humanitarian projects.. working in libraries.. or maybe even helping in music schools. It is all up in the air but we are pretty much looking for service!!

Today we went to Mamaya Gorgon. She is amazing !It is also creepy because she is built on a giant grave.. of 34,500 people. So yeah for war towns! haha

VTC is driving us crazy so here are some VTC quotes that are probably only funny to me but that I hope you enjoy:

--while splitting up names on the ward list.. everyone is taking notes except for one companionship.. he asks who has who.. other elder-- "uh well.. well you gotta do it." hhaha

--"good observation, sister mustache"

-- "thank you all for making out tonight"

"do you want to rephrase that??"

"..........no" hahahahahahaahaha

man I love you all!!!

С большой любовью,сестра Price

Russia Rostov-na-Donu Mission - Newsletter

Russia Rostov-na-Donu Mission 

Sunday July 24, 2016 

Message from President Miner 

Dear Pioneers,

As we seek to find a new path for the Church to grow in Russia we can now aptly be called pioneers — those who go before to lead the way or forge a new path. As we write this, July 24, we mark the 169th anniversary of the arrival of the first Saints in the Salt Lake Valley. Being a pioneer necessarily means some level of uncertainty because, after all, we are traveling where few or none have tread before. It takes some experimentation to find the best path, some trial and error. We have to be willing to explore new routes, even make a few mistakes. It isn’t for those who prefer to be told exactly how to do things, those who would rather not act but be acted upon. Being a pioneer is for those with an adventurous spirit who, when presented with a challenge, respond with, “Hey, this is going to be fun and interesting. Let’s do it!” 

It’s now incumbent upon us to find a new path, a better path. We will learn incrementally, step-by-step. We will learn from one another. It may take some time to establish this new path but we are the ones chosen to do it. Remember Mordecai’s words to Esther when he presented her with a plan to save the Jews, "and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14) Do you think it is a coincidence we were sent to Russia at this time? I don’t think so. 

I feel to stand and shout like Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball did when they left their families to commence their mission to Great Britain. They were so sick they were being carried off in the bed of a wagon. The families they were leaving behind were just as sick. They had travelled a very short distance when they told their driver to stop. Gathering their courage and all their strength they muscled their way to their feet, waved their hats over their heads three times and shouted as loudly as they could, “Hurrah, hurrah, for Israel!” Such is the spirit of a pioneer.

With love,

President Miner

Volunteer Price reporting for duty

WOW THIS WEEK HAS BEEN CRAZY!!! I don't know if you want to send this one out. I am going to be very very very brutally honest and a lot of it is just for fam:) but edit if you want and take out all the negative or weird stuff and then you can share hahahaha

highlights from this week:

we contacted for a total of 34 hours this week.

I have lost 100 pounds from the sheer sweat that has dropped from my forehead and sad armpits

my body is sore and my spirit is exhausted:) but we have loved doing the work of the Lord this week! Thank you for your prayers. It is the only thing that has gotten us through this week:)

BUT YES!!! this week was awesome! I came in on Tuesday from the sleeper train which was great besides the fact that the toilet was so gross, I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like I was in a box and I had such a vivid dream that my leg was all bloody. Bloody garments even. Weird hahaha. But it was so fun and we got to see lots of Russia and just got to sleep in a sleeper train!!! haha

Then pretty much for the rest of the week we were on the street. It was really really hard. Not going to lie. Not a lot of people wanted to talk. We only received 6 numbers and one day we were just on the street the whole day with just "no's." we got pretty discouraged and got to the point where the only thing we could do was hand out cards without even trying to stop people.. which in the end was probably better because now people have our information.

Wednesday I was registered in the city which gave us a little break from contacting. We ate sharma and got to meet the other missionaries. I am super excited to serve here! the missionaries here are awesome and so funny!

Saturday I got the meet the recent convert Sxxxxxx who is just so solid and was baptized last week. We talked all about the priesthood and the temple and there were lots and lots of questions. HE is so cool though and is making plans to take the gospel back to India and so he was asking questions about how he can make it possible in India. SO COOL!

ah no time!

Sunday I spoke in sacrament! I absolutely love the branch. We have the regular Russians but then we also have a lot of Africans that are here studying that speak English. I didn't get to talk to them a lot but they already seem so friendly and inviting. The whole branch! Definitely a change of pace.

we also work with the tracktorney branch which was a thriving branch, had some unfortunate things happen, was closed for like 3 years and now we are opening it up again! about 5 members come. Unfortunately, no one came this week but we still held a little sacrament meeting with us, the elders and the branch missionary worker. it was amazing honestly. such a neat experience. JUST WISH I HAD MORE TIME TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING Hhahaha:)

Monday I went on Splits with sister Kykla which was great! She is a Russian sister (of the 2 that we have in our mission) and is just amazing.

fun week!

I love you all!!

С большой любовью,сестра Price

BIG CHANGES

CRAZY WEEK

Hello friends and family!!! THIS WEEK HAS BEEN CRAZY! so much to tell you:)

this week has been a week of service, trips, and lots of new news and changes:)

First off we are all safe and fine and healthy and happy in good old Russia:) 

Monday we had FHE with the Johnstons and we translated for them. Sxxxxxxx the recent convert less active that we have been trying to get in contact with ACTUALLY CAME!!! Such a miracle I can't even explain it. SO NEAT!! As much as it has been hard to serve in one place for so long, I have seen more tender mercies and felt the gravity of them more because of my time here. I see all of the months of work and growth that accompany such big changes and it really has just been so beautiful to witness:) 

Tuesday I went on Splits with Sister Faddis!! It was so fun! we went to Ixxxx Mxxxxxxxx . and it was the 5th of july,..... Well I was thinking as we were painting her wall and I realized that exactly 7 months earlier I was also in her house taking wall paper off of her wall ON MY BIRTHDAY!! it was so cool! exactly 7 months. Crazy:) she is such a cutie and goes on these big laughing sprees and always yells, "это шутка!!!!" which means "It's a joke!!!" man she is so funny. 

That night we went to a less active Lxxxxx that the other sisters work with and read the Book of Mormon with her. It was really cool to meet with her too because the last time that I worked with her was when I was with Sister McMurray! she is a cutie and going through some hard times right now.. she is debating between two different churches right now, ours and I think baptist?? yeah a little strange but she agreed to read the Book of Mormon all the way through! so she is awesome! 

Wednesday we went and served Axxxxx at the house he is building. pretty much I stood in this huge pit and we took buckets of water out of the pit. It was really fun haha. He was doing some piping and ending up duct taping a lot of the piping... hahah things are just different here:) I love doing service like that! 

we then went to Oxxxx's and helped her put up her wallpaper again! it was great !

Thursday I had my Visa trip and it is honestly the nicest visa trip I have ever been on. We left at 4:30 and went from K-dar to Moscow , then to Armenia from Moscow, and then instead of going back to Moscow and then to Krasnodar, we went straight from Armenia to Krasnodar. We got home like at 9:30 which is sssooo nice. Less than 24 hours is always good! It was a fun visa trip too. I was with sister Sommers and Robinson and I love them both:) we always eat in the Armenian airport (well i guess not always.. just when there is time) and it was as delicious as always. I also talked with a really cool guy on the plane who was the coordinator of a stadium being built in Krasnodar. We had this whole long conversation in Russian and then he asked for my facebook so I tried to write something in Russian and he said, "or your can write in English. oh yes I also know English" hahahahaha YOU KNEW ENGLISH THE WHOLE TIME?!?! haha but he was really nice! He has heard of the church and one day will be a member, I just know it! :)

THURSDAY NIGHT WE GOT TRANSFER CALLS.....

I am being transferred to Volgograd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

woo hoo! I am sososososoososososos excited!!! I will be working with sister Lindquist that just got out of training, so she has been in Russia for 3 months. She is the newest missionary that we have in our mission. I am super excited! It is definitely going to be a change but Sister Lindquist just looks like such a cutie:) they actually had a baptism on Saturday with a man that Sister greenwood and Sister Jarvis met on the street. so it looks like the work is just going great! 

Things I know about Volgograd:

it is 14 hours away from Krasnodar on a night sleeper train ( WHICH I WILL BE TAKING TONIGHT FROM 7pm-9am. I KNOW SO FUN!!!!) 

people call it the "dust bowl"

the biggest river in Russia is located in Volgograd and Sister Greenwood said we will drive over it every time to go to the branch. 

they have "real" marshrutka's there.. hahahaha 

people say it is a super long city. 

the big "mother Russia" statue is located in Volgograd and we should be living close to it.

i think that is about all I know right now. I AM SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU!!!!!! YYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! 

oh I have also heard that the branch is just amazing and that a lot of people speak English!!! so cool! 

Friday we met with Axxxxx and Vxxxxxx:) my favorites:) 

Saturday we went to our investigator Lxxxxx's graduation.. but then we didn't feel too good about it and it was a little different than what we were thinking so we left early. But she graduated!! so woo hoo! 

We also saw Tatiana on the street which was a tender mercy! and we met with Viola. mind you, we had literally no plans for the day and all these things popped up. I just feel like the lord has been really mindful of me because I have seen so many random people that I have made friendships with in the last nine months as  "coincidences" haha it really has been so neat. 

Sunday was great. I got to bear my testimony and take pictures with members:) they are all so sweet and I am seriously going to miss Krasnodar! but I am so so excited to start new in Volgograd:) It is like a fresh page!!! 

YEAH!!! 

Lots of people have asked about the new Russian law. I can't say a lot. pretty much, we had heard of the possibility of the law.. the law became a law this week (we were all in shock... and still in shock) and now we are just trying to figure everything out. The law goes into effect on the 20th so we will literally be spending every second over the next 10 days on the street in an effort to find people. Please send your prayers for the missionaries here for strength and hope. and please pray for the people in Russia that we will talk to that their hearts will be softened. As missionaries we are not supposed to ask for group prayers or fasts, and I guess I am not really, but know that missionary work here needs your help and I know that through your faith, we can and will see miracles. I am excited to hit the streets! I feel as if the Lord has sent us here for a reason and I just feel this sense of urgency to share the work. I may have only 10 days left on my mission of street teaching.. and that is really weird to think about. 

Anyway, to answer your question, yes! everything is fine here and safe, we will just change our tactics. I will also send out the big email that president sent that explains more. Also look at the baptism picture, the girl in the picture with the brown hair and bangs is my new cute companion!!! 

I love you all and i am so happy and feel so blessed for this sacred time to be a missionary. I have been thinking a lot about being a missionary and how it is important not even to take the little things for granted (like talking to someone on the bus). The time we have been given is precious:) I love you all so much!!! 

NEXT WEEK FROM VOLGOGRAD!!!!!!!!! :) 

 

С большой любовью,сестра Price

HAPPY FOURTH

Happy fourth of July my friends!!!

wow this week was great and crazy! 

AND I GOT THE PACKAGE THANK YOU!!! 

This week we got a little more settled in our house which is exciting! 

lets see.. I don't have a lot of time so I will just share some highlights of the week! 

On Tuesday we went out to a former investigator and knocked on her door and told her that we were the missionaries but she came and opened the door anyway! but she opened the door just a crack and was this old old lady.. she was also holding just a sheet in front of her little old cute naked body hahaha. so we told her who we were and asked if she remembered us and did some chit chatting and then asked if we could maybe come back and she said probably not.. so we were just planning on leaving but then she just starts talking and talking and talking and talking and I don't even know what she was talking about hahah ut she just talked and talked and talked all while just standing behind this sheet. we even kept asking her, "is this an inconvenient time?? maybe we can come back later??" hahah but she just kept telling us all about where she used to work and how she is sick now so she swims. man I thought it was so funny and so weird haha. 

We meet with a sweet girl named Mxxxx. She is the granddaughter of a member here that spends the summer in Krasnodar. She made us compote and cake and we talked to her about spiritual armor! She is a cutie! 

we also found the best burger probably in the world. It is only $2.75 and ssooo good. Like maybe even better than what is in America. we went there last week and also today cuz America. :)

 

Ice Cream with the Johnstons

I also had a cool experience on Wednesday.. here is what I wrote to president: 

"This week i had a really cool experience. We had just had a lesson with a members granddaughter who is not a member- Masha (maybe you remember her? she was here for a month last year in the summer and was taught by sister delong and misaraca) but our plans had fallen through that we had planned for after our meeting with her. So we decided to pray. We went to a park bench and prayed. As I prayed, I felt the sweet sweet influence of the holy spirit come over me as I sincerely pleaded with Heavenly Father to guide our path and to do what he would like us to do. We tried to follow the thoughts and impressions that we received and ended up going to a less active... On our way there though, I saw a mini car accident and saw how both of the drivers were very civil to each other and I just remember feeling the spirit again so strongly. I don't really understand the ways of the Lord or know why I felt the spirit then or why I was supposed to be there. .But I really have a testimony that the Lord really speaks to me--Just me!-- through the spirit. It really is amazing to realize that. I also realized during that prayer, that maybe more often than not I am following MY plans and not the Lords. Definitely has given me a lot to think about this week and I have been trying to keep that sincerity and earnestly with me throughout the week."

so now you also know that I wrote you differently than how I write president hahahah 

but yeah that was a cool experience that I had. 

Thursday we met with my favorite Axxxx. At the end of our meeting, after she prayed she said, "you know, when you continue to pray and pay attention you start to realize that there is someone there that listens and cares." wow oh wow. It seriously was such an awesome moment:) I love Axxxxx and I love seeing her testimony grow!! 

On Thursday we also found a leak in our apartment and so our landlord sent over some people to fix it. These two kind men came and fixed our tub! One was very grumpy and the other man was very old and very nice. The older man knew some English so was trying to practice with us as the other worked. Well anyway i think these two friendly gentlemen ended up liking these two sweet sisters a little bit more than just a handy man and renter relationship hahahah. The old man asked us for tea and so we made these two men tea and sat in our kitchen and just talked about life hahahaha. It was also one of the weirdest things that has happened on my mission haha. But yeah we just talked a little bit about God and about families and about how the old man has lots of children and lots of wives haha. Oh man just gets weirder and weirder. But they were nice and it is a good memory now! hahah

Friday we went to Ikea and tried to start some natural conversations with people.. don't know if that is legal on lots of levels.. but it worked pretty well and we were able to just talk to people without trying to yell at them on the street. It was cool! So if you go to Ikea and sit down.. watch out for two cute missionaries because they are looking for YOU. haha 

we also got in with Sxxxxxxx again and we had a nice spiritual thought with her! She is a cutie:)

We had an interesting taxi driver who taught us the longest word he knows (48 letters) and also told us a bit more about Muslims and what he believes and it was just really cool! 

Saturday we served rustam and then we went bike riding in Botanical gardens as a ward activity!!! Oh man it was so so so fun! one of our poor members ran into a fence though... she is ok! just hit her head and scuffed up her hand. It just made me feel better to know that an accident has to happen at every activity in Russia too.. It isn't just our wards thing;) just teasing!!! 

Lena didn't come to church this Sunday and we weren't able to get in contact to have a lesson. 

nikolai is still out of town and his phone still isn't working

we haven't been able to meet with Axxx.

but other than that our investigators are doing great!!!! hahaha

I have a visa trip on Friday but I think I leave at 7 and get back at like 7 so it isn't bad at all.

We get transfer calls on Friday as well. I am excited! I have to move this transfer.. or change comps.. right?? :) 

Thank you all! Happy fourth of July! I love you all! 

--

С большой любовью,сестра Price

P-Day with the other missionaries

Our Russian Faces

мы переехали!

I don't know if I spelled that right, BUT WE MOVED!!!

man this week was just crazy. 

Monday night we went looking for less actives and neither one of them answered so we had a great night of street contacting! We actually ran into another less active on our way to the other less active and talked to her for a bit so that was pretty neat too. It was definitely a tender mercy! 

Tuesday we did some great contacting by the River but IT IS JUST SO HOT there is like no one outside. So  Sister Greenwood and I were talking about boats and boating and just how badly we wanted to jump in the water...and right as we said that this gorgeous (and silent haha) tour-like boat passes us in the river and we just both went quiet and watched the boat pass with our mouths wide open haha and it was so funny! BUT YES SUPER HOT!!! then that night we went to Axxx to teach him but it didn't end up working out. We went there and bought ice cream and everything to help them cool down and then they weren't there.. they also live super far away so we just went home and tried not to cry as we ate our ice cream in our sweat puddles. hahahahahaha just kidding. We got to see Karin ( I realized I spelled it like Karen in our last email.. you say it like car-in.. карен) and some other hooligans which was nice. 

Wednesday all of our plans fell through except for the plan to go apartment hunting with the Sisters so we went and looked at a couple of apartments with them and a cute realtor but then we ended up not liking those ones. The other sister had to leave but the realtor had more places to show us, so we went with her and WE FOUND AN APARTMENT!!! yay!! It is crazy cool hahaha and SO BIG. haha our last apartment was just two rooms, the kitchen and then the living room/bedroom and in this one we have a bedroom and a living room and a kitchen! So cool haha. Then that night we taught English which was good but also not very good because we had a lot of like comments that were really racist and political and one was from a member of the church (THE SAME HOOLIGAN THAT FOUGHT WITH OUR INVESTIGATOR MIND YOU - yeah don't put that in there haha) but it was just kind of a bummer. But we were able to take to Nxxxx about her trip to the temple- she is the only youth member in the Txxxxx branch and so she comes up here sometimes for activities and went with the youth on the temple trip. SHE IS SO AWESOME! 

 

Thursday we helped Oxxxxx put up wallpaper. Yeah who knew we can just put up our own wallpaper???? Well we can hahahaha. Oxxxx is awesome. I will try and send pics

Friday we packed and then went back to Kxxxx and Axxx and cxxxx and lxxxx and taught the plan of salvation. It was a great lesson! We used this little puzzle thing and it definitely helped us stay focused:) Cxxx- the little girl that is probably about 3 or 4 asked me as we were sitting there, "почему вы все красны??" which is "why are you all red???" hahahah it was so funny! she also asked why I don't have any eyebrows so I guess all those years of teasing Zach is coming back to bite me hahahahah. I also gave them the play dough that you sent me mom and THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!! seriously they were just playing and playing and playing and even the mom lxxxx was playing and saying, "I have never seen anything like this before!!" so cool and sweet:0 so thank you mom! and they said to tell you thanks!! 

Friday we finished packing up our whole house which was an adventure.. Sister Greenwood and I just laughed and laughed last night as we were laying in bed thinking about how it is crazy how long we have been together and that we had to move together and that we are now just like an old married couple. haha man. 

But yeah we packed all day Friday and then we finished packing Saturday. the Johnstons came and helped us take down our bunk bed and table and then helped us clean. we ate at the sisters all together (because we used ot live in the same building.. going to  miss that!) and then us the johnstons, the sisters and elders all helped us move into our new apartment and then stayed the night helping us clean our new apartment. CRAZY

 

We still are not quite settled in.. but getting there. we also keep finding funny things that we didn't see before or just funny things keep happening. We slept in our apartment last night and then night before and we have these two beds right next to each other. Last night, sister greenwood was telling me that she thought the bed broke a little the night before. so she gets into bed all ready for the night and I ask her if it feels broken and she says, "yeah it feels a little saggy" and I kid you not right after that, the bed breaks hahahahaha. Man it was so funny. 

But anyway. Yesterday was a miracle day at church!! we had so many less actives and some new people and old people and young people! It was just awesome. BUT THE BEST PART... LXXX CAME BACK TO CHURCH!!! Our old investigator that had a baptismal date! she stayed for all three hours and then asked us to do a lesson with her. It was awesome and such a miracle:)

Also Sister Greenwood forgot how to lead during sacrament so a cute member on the back row just stood up and was helping her lead haha. I didn't see it but she was telling me about it and how she was just so lost and looked at the very back and he was just waving his arms. She said she still couldn't get it but that it was a good help hahahha. 

Man crazy weird week this week. Hoping we can settle down and get back into the work. 

I love you and miss you all! tell my goober brothers to email me. 

Love ya! 

С большой любовью,сестра Price

This Week

This week was great! wow! I loved it!

We need to move and our lady that is supposed to help us quit so now it is just all the missionaries job so we have been looking for apartments and we found a really really REALLY nice one and we are supposed to live there if everything works out! so we might be moving this week. CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!! :) 

Monday we had an awesome meeting with the lxxxxxxxx family that I visited with Sister McMurray.. so the last time we got in with them was like 6 or 7 maybe 8 months ago?? (heck i don't know.. what month is it ?? haha) but it was such an awesome meeting! We had chocolate cake that was delicious and it looked like the cake from matilda so i shared that movie with her and i pretty much think that we are good friends now haha. 

We went to Axxxxx's on her birthday! It was fun haha man I love her. she is awesome. She loves doing the crossword puzzle and can't see very well so she just always has this big magnifying glass in front of her face when she does the puzzle, but then forgets to take it down when she talks to us haha. her friend txxxxxxx went over with us again too. They are just a hoot! 

We visited Vxxxxxxx and to our surprise, lxxxxx and her kids where there too! with the neighbor kids! so we just had this huge party haha. We tried to give a spiritual thought-- and we did, but man it was hard because I swear everything bad that could have gone bad happend haha. The swing broke that sxxxx was swinging in, kxxxx fell off a bike he wasn't supposed to be on and scraped his leg and hit his head, the kids were killing lizards and just running and falling everywhere and to top it all off sxxxxx fell out of the wheelbarrow and cut her lip open and so she was bleeding everywhere. So then I almost passed out and it was just a nightmare hahahahahhahahahaha. I am just teasing. It really wasn't bad, but it was just kind of comical everything that was happening haha. I love both vxxxxxxxx and lxxxx. They are cuties and just such the greatest moms:) SO CUTE!! 

We had our last lesson with Nxxxxxxx before he left for work. We taught him about fasting and tithing and fast offerings and everything was good. He has been taught all of the lessons and is ready for baptism. Now we just need to wait for him to come back:) keep him in your prayers that he can retain his testimony that he has gained. Don't we all need those kinds of prayers??:)

I went on splits with Sister Kennard and it was SO good:) Sister Kennard is amazing and is just so sweet and caring. It was a great day! 

Saturday we went FAR out of the city and served a member out there. She fed us the most delicious soup and cabbage stuff and we painted her fences. She is such a cutie:)

Well i feel like I don't have many words this week! It was a really good week! 

I have been a bit more homesick these past couple of weeks than I have lately. Not nearly as bad as when I first came out, but just know I am thinking of you all and missing you all a lot:)

HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY MASON!

CONGRATS ON THE CONFETTI BABY! 

HAPPY STRAWBERRY DAYS!!! 

please eat some strawberries and cream for me. 

OH the temple trip! I heard it was great! One youth (well I guess young single adult.. I think he is my age or older) went on the temple trip to take out his endowments and was stopped in St. Petersburg and wasn't allowed to cross the border... so he did not make it to the temple.. but the rest of the group did. I know doesn't that just tear at your heart strings?? But they got back today and I heard it was just wonderful. 

I love you all! 

 

С большой любовью,сестра Price

THIS WEEK

Wow this week was great! 

The Missionaries!

I feel like this week we were really made instruments in the hands of the Lord because we had a lot of really cool lessons and we talked to a lot of really cool people! 

We met with Nxxxxx twice this week. We taught him the Word of Wisdom and law of chastity and he totally is good with them! haha but it was kind of a nightmare on our law of chastity lesson because we had a member that we invited there.. and a member that was in the room and wouldn't leave hahah which was fine! but during the lesson we starting talking about forgiveness and he starting arguing with the other member and then started arguing with Nxxxxxx. Yeah TALK ABOUT A NIGHTMARE. ugh man yeah that was rough. I finally had to just yell at the member that was arguing to get him to stop haha.. not my proudest missionary moment:) But we talked to Nxxxxx after and he seemed a little upset, but I think everything is ok. He came to church on Sunday too and he has finally figured out his work schedule. He is leaving on the 19th and will be gone for a month.. and wants to be baptized when he comes back. I shed a couple of tears after talking to him haha. In a month, it will be the end of the transfer. I don't know which makes me more sad, being transferred after this transfer or staying hahaha. UGH. but the good news is that his will probably be baptized, just maybe not when I am here:) 

It was so funny when we were teaching the Word of Wisdom because we told him all the things that we can't have and then we are waiting to see if he had anything to say and he is just quiet for a little bit and then says, "water" and then started explaining why water was so good hhaahahahah man it was so funny. Also after our law of chastity lesson, we were walking to the tramby stop and we are just getting on the tramby and I say, "thanks Nxxxxxx we love you!" and he seems a little taken off guard and then says, "Sisters, I respect you!" hahahahah man it was just so funny. He is so cute! 

We also went to a Russian hospital this week to meet with a former/potential. We were just planning on going up to her room, but the hospital has like this gate thing and they will only let one person go up at a time so we just stayed down in the lobby as they came down to us. It was Axxxxxxx and Gxxxxxx. they are just these two cute old people who say they practically live at the hospital. Gxxxxxx is just the cutest old man and reminds me of Santa and Grandpa Price. We went out and started walking and talking together and getting ot know them (because they called us and asked us to come and we don't know who they are haha) and I got the worst nose bleed. (I seem to be getting them more often then ever before?? I've had like 3 really bad ones) so the next 30 minutes Gxxxxxx was just a cutie and helped me with my giant nose bleed as Sister Greenwood and Axxxxxxxxx got to know each other:) Gxxxxxxx has actually read the book of Mormon too! yeah I know right??? at the end of our meeting, they asked us to help at the hospital. Which I don't really think we can do.. but yeah haha anyway they were cute. 

We met with Axxxxxx and she said that she doesn't feel any love from the branch.. Only after railing on us for about 40 minutes. We were just speechless. But it was one of my favorite lessons. We didn't really say anything but she just told us everything she doesn't agree with or believe. and then kept going and said she doesn't feel the love. We didn't even try to help her with her concerns- she doesn't want us to help her through them . We just told her that we love her and we are going to her house for her birthday this week:) 

Friday we had zone conference and it was awesome! We learned lots of great things but the coolest thing happened during a role play that Sister Greenwood and I had with President Miner. The Zone leaders asked us to practice teaching using the pamphlets and then to role play it in conference with another missionary. Well we ended up teaching President Miner (who was playing someone else- you know how it works haha) and pretty much the spirit was so strong we had to stop because we had brought President to tears:) I was holding back tears too. It was really neat! Really really cool and honestly one of the coolest moments on my mission. 

On a less serious note, the Sisters sang the song "Consider the Lillie's" and there is a line that says "consider the sweet tender children" and our biggest goal for zone conference was to not laugh at that line because the night before we read it as, "the sweet tender chicken.." added to the fact that we had KFC for lunch hahahah.. well we didn't laugh so it was a success!! haha 

We went out to the cemetery with Rxxxxxx yesterday and met his mom:) it was a really sweet experience:)

We also met with our investigator who loves chess, Sxxxxxx at the park 

we met Rxxxxxxx's wife 

ugh just so much to say but no time. 

I guess I will just leave you with this thought that Sister Kennard shared with us for Zone Conference. We were talking about faith and this was pretty much the majority of the thought:

when ever I heard about having faith to move mountains, I always thought about the whole mountain moving in an instant--a magic occurance. I have learned now though that it isn't like that.. but having faith to move mountains means having enough faith to go to the mountain everyday and take one rock and move it to a different place. And do the same thing every day until you have done enough work and moved enough little rocks to eventually move a mountain. Maybe one day you can take 5 and maybe the other day you just bring a pebble:)

I thought about this and I absolutely LOVE it. The day we found Nxxxxxx, I can honestly tell you I did not have faith to set a baptismal date or teach all the lessons in an hour.. BUT I did have enough faith to say hello to someone with the intentions of asking them about God and giving them a card. I just see how with Nxxxxxxx I have seen how my own faith has grown and I think it has grown in the same way that is talked about in the moving mountains parable. I look back and see the mountain that we have moved.. even though it started with the pebble of talking to someone on the street:)

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

WEEK OF THREES!!!

funny story: 

In primary, there is a window that opens up to this little ledge that the kids like to play on so sometmes the kids get away and "jump out the window" onto the little ledge and then scoot on their bums down to the ground and it happened a few weeks ago when Sister Kennard first got to primary. She said she wrote an email home entitled "it is all fun and games until someone jumps out of a window" anticipating writing about primary... and she forgot to write about it!!!! hahahah man I thought that was so funny hahah ANYWAY 

Spreading the word!

This week was great! On Monday we had our last P-day hoorah as a district so we played some sick volleyball and then went and ate at subway together! It was fun but also so sad hahah. I loved that district and I was with Elder Tolokonikov and Elder Tucker and Sister Moore for SIX MONTHS OF MY MISSION! It is just crazy and hard to see people leave! But I am excited for the new district:) they are already awesome! 

Uhh I don't have a lot of time so I will just share a few experiences from this week. 

First off this week was super hard for Sister Greenwood and I. Like super hahaha. BUT I read the general conference talk "Beware of Pride" and it was definitely humbling (ba dum tsssss) and we are working hard together to idk be better! hahahah I just really feel like I am in the refiners fire right now and I am feeling the heat:) But it is so awesome to see and feel myself changing. The Lord is teaching me some great lessons right now- I just don't really know what or why or how it will help me hahaha;) But we had a good old talk and things are just dandy now and I think it can only go up from here:) 

We met with Nxxxxx two different times this week. He is just so incredibly awesome and just wow oh wow. Here is the thing about teaching Nxxxxx-- we don't understand a word he says hahahahahaha. Seriously we have such a hard time! He talks so fast and goes off on these rants and he has this weird russian accent thing where all of his "g's" are "h's" and a little bit of a stutter and I think he is very poetic hahaha so all around we just sit there and nod our heads and just pray our guts out haha. It is gets a little bit easier with every lesson but wow. Still hard hhahaha. But we taught him the Plan of Salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Member Dxxxxx helped us on both and he is just awesome. But the last lesson we had, Nxxxxx was telling about a time when he was on a mountain or something and how he just felt free and it must have been quite the experience because his arms were flailing and just going at it and then Dxxxxx shared an experience he had when he had a dream where he was in Hell. and then it was so funny because Dxxxxxx goes off on this whole dream about when he was in hell and everything and doesn't really testify of anything and then closes in the name of Jesus Christ. Sister Greenwood and I both kind of looked at each other.. did some solid testifying and THEN closed in the name of Jesus Christ haha. Also that lesson was an hour and a half. Man that was a good lesson but also terrible hahahaha. But Nxxxxxx wants to be baptized! he has something with documents and work that is making it so he can't commit to a date.. he also might be leaving on the 18th to Moscow or Tuapse so we might have a baptism with him not this saturday but the next... We aren't really sure but he wants to be baptized! he also came to church and brought his daughter (who is probably like 14) and she is so cute! and a trooper. She went to Sunday school and Young Womens. She is just so cool. 

The youth are going to Helsinki this weekend for their temple trip! it is so neat! They have been talking about the trip since like Christmas! SO COOL! pray everything will go well and that they will be safe:)

We met an old man Sxxxxxx last week in botanical gardens (my favorite place in Krasnodar I think) and we went back and had a lesson with him! We tried to have the restoration, but after the question, "what does God need from us?" we launched into the plan of salvation. It was a bit scattered too hahah but it was good! He doesn't really have a desire to come to church or pray, but he really listens and I think he is really looking for truth. Also he has met with missionaries before ( I don't know if just on the street or like met met) and so he asked us, "Why do mormons like to eat so much??" haha idk he is just a cute old man that likes to play chess. I told him Jared likes to play and he was like, "what?? what ranking is he? has he played in competitions??" haha so cute.

We had a HUGE rain on Wednesday. We were at the branch after teaching Nxxxxxx and having english club and it was just CRAZY. The only thing we could do was run home haha so we BOOKED it out and caught a tramby and we were soaked! Then when we were running home there were puddles in the road that went up to our knees hahah it was crazy! but everyone is ok. 

Also on Thursday we went to a park to contact. It was also rainy that day so not a lot of people were at the park. We were about to go home when we saw an old man on a bench listening to old american music. so we danced over haha and talked with him. He was nice but not super interested but as we were takling this other old man came over and wanted to talk but man he was crazy hahha. He pulled out a token on a string and was swinging it around and telling us that we were from the devil because we were Jehovah's Witnesses and so our other old friend said, "they aren't Jehovahs Witnesses!" and then he stopped waving the token around haha. Then he started talking to me about his beliefs about how the second Christ lives in Chicago and is selling self healing books there. He was also telling me abou thow he sends his soul out and brings it back in order to heal people. And then about how his granddaughter was born withought any hips. All in all it was just one of the weirdest conversations I have ever had haha. So while I was talking to old mr crazy and sister Greenwood was talking to old mr gentleman ANOTHER old lady comes over and asks, "what are you guys talking about over here??" hjahahaha so i say, "well.. we are talking about all of our different beliefs!" hahah so she stayed there and listenend to the crazy guy talking to me some more and then started to leave so I went with her and asked her more about herself. She was honestly one of the nicest people I have met in Russia. The skin around her lips were wrinkled like she has been mad her whole life and she just told me about all of her friends that have tried to convert here and then shared a couple of parables with me. She ended up not really wanting to give us her information or anything, but we had a great conversation and even hugged at the end:) she is so cute!!!! After, Mr old crazy left and mr old gentleman showed us a tree and then invited us to play basketball with him-- He's 80!!!! hahaha so funny and cute. ( he is the man in the picture by the carosel!) 

On friday we had an appointment with less active Axxxxx and we walked to her house and we see her and a non-member who comes to church but isn't interested Txxxxxxxx outside her building. Turns out she got locked out and then Txxxxxxxx walked by and then she called member Vxxxxxx to come and help. He finally showed up after sassy Axxxxx and Txxxxxxx and us were talking hahahaha and then in the end, Vadim ended up opening up the door with a crow bar haha. We all went in and had tea (well hot water and jam for the sisters haha) and they were just talking and talking and talking. And they just sound like they are fighting haha every russian conversation just sounds like a big fight hahaha. But they were talking about how a rich person could never marry a bum and they just went on and on and on and on about it haha. We shared some scriptures with them in the end and that is how we had a lesson with a less active, active, and non member all in one meeting hahaha. It was so fun! I love the people here so much:)

I think that is pretty much it!!! this week was hard but so good. 

I am working on being better every day:)

It sounds like you had a good vacation!!! I love you all 

oh.... and...

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I love you and hope you have a great birthday:)))) 

I love you!!! 

С большой любовью,сестра Price