Cool Stories

Dear Family and Friends,

I'm settling in finally. In this beautiful city of Catania, near the newly snowcapped peaks of the volcano, Mt. Etna, I am finally feeling at home. Yes, while I still may get lost here like in my old greenie days, my mental map is starting to click as well as my confidence in driving with these crazy Italians is growing. Yes, the grocery store, people, and missionaries are different here, but that's just another change that I have to tackle and love while doing it.

Okay I first have to thank all the mission leaders I had before. I never realized all the tiny details you have to take care of as well as the late nights writing up reports, brainstorming how to help other missionaries, mixed in with the busy schedule of normal missionary work. I've probably never been more tired in my life, but I just focus on the love I have for all these missionaries. Especially for Anziano Perfili.

He's the best. Different than any missionary I have worked with (which I should have expected because all my companions have been different), but overall, he's been helpful. We had a really good talk one day about how I felt inadequate and doubted why I had been called to this position because I felt like I wasn't cut out for it. Yes tears were shed, that's been me lately, kinda emotional, clumsy, but just doing my best to be humble and learn everything I can from Anziano Perfili. Fortunately, I have someone like him to lift me up and tell me all the good things I am still doing.

For the rest, all I really have are some cool stories. When finding in a park one day, we stopped this young couple and asked them about their belief in God. Instead of normally turning away, they became interested and we soon established contact through Facebook. Then on Friday we met them with the sorelle missionaries and ate a pizza while explaining more about who we were and our beliefs. Emanuele and Stefania were super nice and actually might investigate the next time we meet.

We also had a meal appointment with an american family who gave me a nice memory of home. Classic american meal with good old conversation, an amazing spiritual thought, they committed to planning how to give someone a Book of Mormon, and they even gave us a Reeces Peanut Butter pie which was quite the treat. Let's just say, I'm trying to make a goal of eating healthier this week :)

One day we had an appointment with Fratello Palla (old member who talks in funny grumbly Siciliano) and his family so we figured out the one bus that goes by there house to the middle of nowhwere. We walked in only expecting him and his wife, but we walk in to teaching almost all his less children and grandchildren. That really put the pressure on us, but we just decided to keep it simple with teaching about Jesus Christ and His Atonement. It was a really cool miracle and we might even get a chance to go again tonight.

Miracles just happen here. One night we were in a piazza where we a met a member who is a recent convert and recently just came from Nigeria to here that we had no idea about. As well as then we walked into a comic book store to follow up on a contact, to which an employee there began ti talk to us and added us immediately to his Facebook. And then that night while waiting to get a dolce called bombe (it's the best!), a couple noticed we were speaking in English, asked who we were, and we basically taught the Restoration in 10 minutes.

Giuseppe Paternò continues to be a stud. We read the first chapter of the Book of Mormon and he didn't understand it clearly so we invited him to read it again. He then sent us a photo the next day of the summary of the chapter that he was memorizing! We also met up in Catania where he brought his friend Salvo and we manged on a cipolline (super good onion mozzarella pomodoro ham pastry) and we explained who we were to Salvo as well. And on the way to that appointment, a man named Filippo stopped us and asked if we could teach him about the Book of Mormon. And to top it all off, Giuseppe shows up to church in a nice suit, making all the members wonder if he was a missionary without a tag.

Truly, Catania has been a city of struggle mixed with the blessings of miracles, something I need to be more grateful for. I'm growing to love the city and want to give it my all. As I learned in my study on charity this week, I need to learn how to give up all of myself. Yes I already do that with my time and desires, but that also includes my fears, worries, doubts. My favorite words of advice are to quit worrying about myself and just do what I have been called to do, sacrifice it all. I look forward to this next week with great hope that I am serving God and striving to do the right thing. Hopefully, I will also receive the answers to my prayers this week as we listen to prophets and apostles called by God to lead us. I love you and pray that all is well with you as it is with me.

Vi voglio bene!

Anziano Price

Nothing Like Catania

Dear Family and Friends,

Where do I begin? My perception has accelerated by at least tenfold being here in the bustling city of Catania. It really has made me reflect on all that has happened already during my mission and that really there is an end to all this. I got to make everyday count if I will ever reach my goals and enjoy every glorious minute as a missionary for the Lord.

First off, it's weird to have an older companion. I feel like I am being trained again because Anziano Perfili is showing me some many things that I didn't even know or think about (small things like language because he's a master at that, big things like end mission goals, how to be a zone leader). To be honest, it has been a really difficult thing to adjust to, but I am working on being really humble and letting God lead me to what I need to know. I know once I get back into the rhythm of things after all these big changes, things are going to be great!

I mean things already are great. There is nothing like Catania. Where else can you wake up and have the view of an active volcano from your balcony? Catania is such a big city and without the car right now, we are constantly on the streets right now trying to talk to everyone. It's a nice problem to have too many people to talk to rather than not enough and so I'm grateful for that. The only downsidd is traveling to appointments and such, especially when the bus you planned on taking ends up being late by 45 minutes, totally changing your game plan (reminds me of Pozzuoli haha). Luckily, we have very nice sister missionaries who offer us rides (don't worry, I made them a cheesecake to make up for it)

I'm sorry there's nothing too funny to report other than the fact that every 5 minutes while we are on the streets, Anziano Perfili attempts to kick a smashed cigarette box between my legs (old missionary tradition), and 3 out of 10 times, he gets me. We have just been really focused/tired from the work we are putting in (although Anziani Perfili insists we finish the day with a game of chess before bed and I can't deny that!). We did have some fun member appointments this week, mostly thanks to Anziano Perfili's profound knowledge of Italian, Napolitano, and Siciliano which causes everyone to just laugh and ask how he knows their dialect so well.

The one investigator we are teaching right now, Giuseppe Paternò, already shows great signs of progress. He loves talking to us about the gospel and even went to church while we were out of town.He certainly has built my faith that they're people really here who want to hear the gospel message.

Also cool story. One day we were walking in the main square with the Duomo and there was a library on wheels sort of thing, where you trade a book to get a book. So obviously I couldn't deny the opportunity to give the library a Book of Mormon and in exchange get this pretty cool language study book for Italian. I hope someone will actually take the Book of Mormon eventually.

All I can say is that I am ready to love this transfer. I definitely need to give it my all if I will be any close to succeeding. I am ready to love these members, I am ready to love my companion, I am ready to love the work and get to work. It's time to finally clean this house (you know 4 man houses), it's time to really talk to everyone, to help my fellow zone missionaries, to lead, and quit judging and self doubting. After evaluating how I wanted to end my mission this week, I said to myself that I wanted to say that I had served each day with love. That if I couldn't do anything else, I could just live like Christ. This mission has shown me how much I can really be, and especially what I don't know how to do. But at least I can love and just keep growing. I know that's all Christ wants me to do. I'm just happy he wanted me to do it here in Catania as His missionary.

Vi voglio bene!

Anziano Price

I'm Still Here

Dear Family and Friends,

When the moment finally came. Monday night, around 10 o'clock, Anziano Draghi called. He first actually wanted to talk to Anziano Mars which I thought was better too because I was super nervous to see what would happen because I knew I was leaving Ragusa in my heart sadly. Then, Anziano Mars handed me back the phone.

Anziano Draghi: Hey Beloved Son!
Me: Hi dad!
Anziano Draghi: I just first want to say I am proud of you. President Pickerd came in and asked me personally if I would like to give this call to you. Well, Anziano Price, do you like your zone leaders? Do you like Anziano Alexander and Anziano Perfili?
Me: Yeah, they are great!
Anziano Draghi: Well how would like to serve with one of them. Anziano Price, you have been called to serve as a zone leader in Catania and your new companion will be Anziano Perfili!!

Yah the rest was followed with shouts of absolute shock and disbelief, immediately followed by so much gratitude for the blessing God had given me and my assurance that I loved Anziano Draghi amd promised to do my best!

So yah, after spending already 7 transfers in the same zone, I am serving in Catania! It's nice that I know the city relatively well from my scambios here and I love Anziano Perfili! It's the first time in forever that I have had an older companion and I am ready to learn so much. He's from California, super focused on improving our work and service as zone leaders, and sometimes such a goofball! And perhaps the best speaker of Italian I have met on the mission (besides the native speakers of course).

So the beginning of the week was filled with goodbyes to amazing members, final lessons with investigators, walking the streets and hills of Ragusa for one last time (also catching an early sunrise), and of course, eating some pizza with my figlio in the mission, Anziano Mars. It was also sad to leave him but at least I am pretty close by haha. I feel like I keep repeating myself but I also cried in my last district meeting in Ragusa for multiple reasons, but mostly because of the feeling that I honestly felt like I did my best in Ragusa and God was happy for it! A feeling I honestly can't explain. So I left on the best note possible in my opinion.

And transfered into the craziness of being a zone leader. In short, Anziano Perfili work to train a large group of missionaries in our area to become better, and also report to our mission president the progress of all the missionary companionships. Also we help out with transfers which is why Thursday was crazy because we had to manage missionaries going to the airport, train station, and also waited for missionaries to arrive at our home at 11:30 at night because of their flight. Soo to say the least, it's a lot of work and I know I could easily stress myself out about it, but I'm focusing on making fun, fufillin, and just magnifying my calling.

Poi, early friday morning we caught a bus to the airport because news flash, President Pickerd wanted all the mission leaders to hold the council in person in Rome, so we arrived and I saw so many people that I love and have served with. Sorella Coz Becerra from Siracusa, Sorella Torres from Ragusa, Anziano Kolsen from Catania, Anziano Young, Vance, Cutler, Parkinson from the MTC, and of course , mamma mia it was amazing! It was a long training on utilizing the new proselyting tool of Facebook and in general how we can improve as a mission in our finding new investigators. I got to organize the musical number which was lots of fun (sadly I coul'nt bring my violin on the plane and play). Pretty soon, the next morning we were rushed out with sandwiches after receiving some training and caught the plane back to Catania. Oh yah, and of course I said goodbye to Anziano Draghi. This is his last transfer so I will definitely miss him after this one.

We were pretty tired to say the least, but we put our minds together, came up with a plan for our zone, and even met stopped people that night in Catania. This is the biggest city I have ever served in and I am excited to use every opportunity I can to talk to everyone. We have seen miracles already from that night.

Nel fine, I am happy. Honestly, I am kind of glad to still be here. I love Sicily and now I know Sicily really well. I know God has a plan for me and especially for me to learn from Anziano Perfili, gain confidence as a zone leader, talk to everyone, and become my best self overall. Yesterday, we were teaching a family and the friend of one of the sons, and I could just feel the Spirit testify of rhe scripture I said about seeing miracles after the trial of our faith. That friend wants to learn more now and already plans on coming to church next week. I love this mission, Italy, all my companions, and God for everything he has planned and done for me. I just love it so much! We'll see what crazy adventures happen this next week!

Vi voglio bene!

Anziano Price

Forward with Faith

Dear Family and Friends,

How can I best describe this week? Emotional? A Rollercoaster? Fufilling? Eye opening? Boh, maybe I should explain all that occured and you can be the judge.

The festa for San Giovanni really started it all. Remember when I said it was crazy last week? Well the party just kept going. We worked hard on advertising our free English Group since it would probably also be a little rude to proselyte during the religious celebration. On Tuesday, everyone in Ragusa was probably on that street and piazza near the Cathedral and things were crazy! Everyone was buying candles, waiting for San Giovanni to come out in an explosion of confetti, etc. so we waited patiently for that and then proceeded to talk to people. My favorite conversation was with twp ragazzi that started with his cool superhero shirt and they totally want to practice English. Sadly, they are going to school in Torino but we it is still worth it. We did our best for a while but then the parade decided to come on the street we were on and so we couldn't stop anyone that wasn't in procession following the statue. I loved it though and bought peanuts to prove it (seriously, it was half fair, half sacred tradition) with fireworks at the end to cap it off.

All in all it was a normal week. The finding techniques (i.e. violin playing in a park, cleaning up a piazza, etc.) didn't work out so well but we did our best to represent and just go and serve. Today during our P-day in Modica we helped an English couple involved in a car crash understand the Italian that hit them and they were so very grateful for the translation we did for them. My motto for finding has now become, give them something to marvel at.

We happened to be in Vittoria one day to see Sorella Ferraro. After the lesson, she invited us to pranzo so we went out to search for another less active member which didn't work while she was preparing the pranzo. While walking through the park, a group of ragazzi called us Jehovah's Witnesses and usually, I would keep walking, but now I've learned this is a good chance to explain who we really are. So we went, talked, and they really had no interest but we at least explained the Book of Mormon to them. Then we probably had one of the best pranzos ever! The blessings of missionary work here in Ragusa!

Really highlights of the week were seeing Salvatore from South Africa again who wants to start reading the Book of Mormon, having a cheesecake competition between the Sorelle and us where the members judged at a ward activity, Anziano Mars picking elderberries and making jelly in his spare time (yah it's pretty good!), and helping our ward mission leader set up and clean up the church for the 18th birthday party of his son (it's very big in Italy).

Poi, we taught a lessons with Sebastiano. Things were looking really good, we were teaching well, understanding his needs and such, and trying to get the ward on board with it (all of which was slightly stressing me out because I've never done this before). But the lesson we had the night before, Sebastiano explained how he doesn't feel quite ready yet, he believes in the Book of Mormon but feels bad for missing church last week and wants to feel more secure with knowing that God really exists. It is totally natural to afraid of change so I understood quickly, despite the huge disappointment that it was. I love him a lot so I hope he will take the chance and make the commitment in the future!

I went into the week knowing that it could easily be one of my last here in Ragusa, so as we say in Italian, I was going to spacca tutto! (go all out!). Plus we were approaching September, which people finally returning, new opportunities, etc. But with all that expectation, it turned into stress quickly and I found myself not living up to those expectations I wanted. Things weren't turning out how I expected and that did disappoint me, I felt weak. One night I turned to God and poured out all the feelings. And since then, I have gained understamding of how I can improve and realized how much I have grown since I started here in Ragusa. This has been a city of miracles for me, partially because of the experiences I have had, but mostly what has changed in me. Nothing ever has gone according to plan and for the rest of my mission it probably will be the same. The greatest lesson that comes from that for me is learn what God wants me to learn and also just never give up, because that's the last thing God wants me to do haha. I don't know where I will go because I am almost certain I will go somewhere and have to leave all these bellissimi membri, investigators, and experiences. But I move forward with faith that there is somewhere else I need to be.

Vi voglio bene!

Anziano Price